By Trevor Makonyonga
Former ZANU PF youth leader, Godfrey Tsenengamu has applied to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to stage a demonstration against alleged corruption in the Finance ministry.
This comes after Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube approved the release of funds to a firm, Drax International for the purchase of Covid-19 protective equipment pegged at exorbitant prices.
Tsenengamu’s Front for Economic Emancipation Zimbabwe (FEEZ) plans to stage the protest on June 5.
In a statement, FEEZ said, “We, the Front for Economic Emancipation Zimbabwe (FEEZ) being a non- partisan and inclusive economic movement of the Zimbabwean citizens intends to hold a peaceful protest against corruption at the Ministry of Finance offices situated at New Government Complex along Central Avenue in the CBD. This has been necessitated by the recent exposure of the scandalous purchase of COVID 19 consumables involving the Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr George Guvamombe and a company called Drax International LLC.”
FEEZ also stated that the COVID-19 lockdown must not be used to silence their cause.
“The said development has prompted us as a citizens movement to seek to exercise our constitutional right by protesting peacefully. We are aware of the Statutory Instrument put in place by the authorities to curb the spread of the COVID 19 virus. As much as we appreciate the above measures by the authorities, but the Statutory Instrument cannot be used to silence us in the face of this sad development that threatens the very lives, the Statutory Instrument seeks to protect. However, we cannot ignore to take all the necessary precautionary measures stipulated in the Statutory Instrument and all health regulations concerning the spread of the virus.” FEEZ said.
The protesters promised to adhere to the lockdown regulations.
Some of the regulations they said they would adhere are noted as, “Our gathering shall be of 45 people who are our members whose names we provide to your office if need arises. We shall put on face masks and protesters shall use sanitizers.”
It is with a hawkeye that the nation is seeking to see how this issue will be handled especially after the prosecution of MDC Alliance youths who held a flash demonstration in Warren Park.
