THE opposition MDC-T has joined hands with civic groups and churches in a fresh campaign to boycott all businesses owned or run by Zanu PF “fat cats” in order to cripple and financially force them to the negotiating table, NewsDay has learned.
Source: MDC-T plots Zanu PF fat cats’ firms boycott – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 29, 2016
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
This was disclosed by MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora during a party meeting in Mutare on Saturday.
Mwonzora said their first targets were President Robert Mugabe’s Alpha and Omega company dairy products, Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zuva Petroleum and Phelekezela Mphoko’s Choppies Supermarkets.
However, a top Zuva Petroleum official and a government bureaucratic yesterday said Mnangagwa had no interests in the petroleum firm.
But Mwonzora said: “We are planning something. This is no longer a secret now because this is a bare knuckle fight.
We want to embark on a massive consumer boycott, boycotting products, shops, businesses of people who are corruptly benefiting from the Zanu PF regime and those people who are involved in human rights abuses.’’
Mwonzora added: “For example, we are going to agree that we are not going to buy anything from Mphoko’s Choppies, Mnangagwa’s businesses and we will not buy Alpha and Omega products, which is owned by the First Family.”
He said that the move will force ruling party “fat cats” to agree to re-engage opposition political parties to resolve the on-going economic crisis.
“We have since approached civic organisations, other opposition political parties and members of the public, including churches, among other organisations. If we boycott their shops and businesses in one week, they will come to us because we the poor have power,’’ Mwonzora said.
He also disclosed that opposition parties had endorsed #Tajamuka/Sesijikile shutdown this Wednesday and would sue police for contempt of court following the stifling of the Friday’s protest march.
Yesterday, all 18 opposition parties under the National Electoral Reforms Agenda (Nera) announced plans to roll out mass anti-government demonstrations to other provinces on Friday.
“We also further advise that apart from the protest march in Harare, Nera structures in various provinces, cities and towns will be informing the place of similar marches in their areas on the same day,” Nera convenor Didymus Mutasa said in a statement yesterday.
“Zimbabweans are under no illusion that we are where we are because of the crisis of legitimacy. On Friday, the whole nation wishes to speak with one voice by peacefully demanding that the next elections be truly free, fair and credible.”
COMMENTS
Would the opposition please ..LIST and PUBLISH….ALL ZANU PF operations so the NATION can participate ….This is one step in the right direction…. GO FOR IT
Yaa, a good starting point; yes. True, Zimbabweans lets stand together & dissociate ourselves from these blood-sucking Vampires.
Yes, lets not do business with them regardless of whatever prices they may peg their rotten foods. yes, if they give you the food for free @ rallies just grab & it. After, its all our sweat they have stolen from us. But please, lets stop promoting their lavish lifestyles which were achieved through stealing from us and oppressing us @ the same time.
A nation of children playing grown-up games. “You stole my lollipop, so I won’t come to your birthday party- so there!”.
There is nothing childish regarding targeted sanctions. Just as nations can impose target sanctions of whatever kind on some rogue individuals or companies; so can we as individuals. This is a far cry from this “lollipop” rubbish which some small mind or some zanu pf thief is parroting.
It’s called “targeted sanction” against thieves and their business empires, which they built through stealing from us. Nothing unusual and nothing childish!
In fact ,it is the best way to go; and we will do it – whether some zanu pf idiots try to reduce it to some imaginary and stupid lollipop, birthday party, tea party, blaa, blaa, ……. Nxaaaaaaa
Thank you for the lecture.
BUT WE STILL DON’T ……HAVE A LIST…….LET ME START……choppies alpha omega, zuva, breco,(fish products)……come on guys….MORE
Now we are talking. Such tactical strategies for civil disobedience need to be identified, communicated and implemented. They bring change at low cost.
Except we don’t want to see the MDC or anyone else offering to prop up a dying regime when the going gets tough, as happened recently.
Those who think Zanu PF is going to be dislodged by exhorting the starving masses to target Grace’s ice cream need a reality check. Mphoko was not staying in Rainbow Towers using money derived from Choppies – he was using tax money so, if you want to smoke them out, you will have to dry up the taxes as well. And they will still overpower you financially, using 36 years of savings.
This is about trying to remove people who are now fighting for their survival – not for control of the retail market. The Zimbo philosophy of “anything but direct confrontation” is not going to succeed.
Mister Cool, your point is taken. No, boycotting alone will do nothing. However, it will make a point, show the solidarity of the people, and, in concert with all the other measures, help to move toward changes. Maybe, most of all, it puts opposition of the current situation into the hands of the ordinary citizen and allows them to begin expressing and sharing ownership of that opposition.
Admittedly, for the policia and military to stop being the strong-arm of ZANU-PF is necessary for the change, but some of those guys aren’t entirely stupid. How many of them in what functions have to understand democracy and redemption for them to exert the necessary strategy, tactics, and influence? No one knows that answer, but it is out there. Who knows what one rogue pilot or artillery battery or ordinary kitchen worker could do.
I have never, ever bought anything from Alpha Omega and I don’t know anyone who has. Thanks for telling me about Zuva. They are now on my blacklist. Never been to Choppies so that’s not an issue. Anyone know of other companies owned by those thieving lying so-called bigwigs?
Please please give us their businesses lists names of, quickly we want to do some extra business with them, if EU and co.had targeted sanctions slapped on mugabe and co.& mugabe is still crying to date why cant we do the same within and make him vibrate terribly together with his joe fool and the like
The irish have a wonderful saying (with the never ending wars with the english) It goes like this …….IF WE DON’T HANG TOGETHER…….WE WILL BE HUNG SEPARATELY….(by the english)…….. We still need names guys… not discussion…..
I’m not suee where you are getting your information, but grezt topic.
I needs to spend sokme time learning more or understanding more.
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