Anti-Sanctions march: all systems go

Norman Muchemwa

All is for the Anti-Sanctions Day scheduled for Friday and Government has made available 265 buses to ferry people from the country’s 10 provinces.

Proceedings will commence at the Robert Mugabe Square and people will march to the National Sports Stadium where various speakers will talk on the effects of the sanctions that have resulted in the suffering of the Zimbabwean populace.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be the guest speaker.

The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) set 25 October as the Anti-Sanctions Day to send a clear message to the United States and its Western allies that the removal of sanctions is long overdue.

The decision was arrived at during the 39^th Sadc Summit held in Tanzania.

Speaking Thursday, the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province, Honourable Oliver Chidawu, urged all patriotic Zimbabweans to come in numbers to attend the event.

He said buses will pick up passengers at the usual pick-up points.

“We thus call upon all patriotic Zimbabweans to come out in their numbers in support of the call for the lifting of these unjustified economic sanctions. As we express our commonly felt desire for the removal of these sanctions against our country, I urge you all to be mindful of maintaining peace, law and order,” he said.

“Buses will be available at usual pick-up points from 6am. The march will commence at the Robert Mugabe Square to the National Sports Stadium where solidarity messages will be delivered.

“Let us come out in large numbers to show the world that Zimbabwe is a free, democratic and peace-loving nation which needs everyone’s support as we strive for our economic emancipation.”

Harare has been allocated 100 buses, Bulawayo 50, Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Midlands 20 buses each while Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Matebeleland North and South will get 10 buses and 15 buses have been allocated to Manicaland Province.

The United States and its Western allies imposed the illegal sanctions on Harare in 2001 after the country embarked on the historical land reform programme.