MDC- MP’s in street demonstration over budget

By Lance Guma
18 August 2005

Opposition MP’s took to the streets on Thursday to protest what they called an ‘anti-people budget’ presented to parliament this week. The march through Harare’s city centre took police units by surprise. Glen Norah MP, Priscilla Misihairambwi, took part in the demonstration and said they needed to show ordinary Zimbabweans their leaders had the courage to go onto the streets as well. They hope the message will filter down to their supporters that the regime could be confronted. The MPs did not even apply for police permission as is demanded by harsh public order laws.

Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa had on Tuesday presented a ‘fire-fighting’ budget which introduced new taxes on mobile phone airtime, public transport operators and raised VAT from 15 percent to 17.5 percent. The opposition calls the budget an attempt to milk poor Zimbabweans. Misihairambwi also said they are opposed to constitutional amendments that Zanu PF is trying to rail-road through parliament using a ‘stolen’ parliamentary majority.

While police have traditionally crushed protests by opposition groups it would seem they were too embarrassed to man-handle a grouping of opposition MP’s. At least that was the observation by Misihairambwi who says although the police just observed the demonstration they prevented members of the public from joining in.