‘ED must resign over dereliction of duty’

FORMER Masvingo Central legislator Jeffreyson Chitando has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign, saying that he has failed to diligently execute his duties as Head of State.

Chitando, a former MDC-T MP, accused Mnangagwa of allowing the Zanu PF district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections to take place at a time the country was battling to flatten the COVID-19 curve.

He told NewsDay in an interview that Mnangagwa showed gross maladministration as the DCC elections could have been COVID-19 super spreaders after some of the party bigwigs who contested during the elections succumbed to the virus.

“As the Head of State, Mnangagwa should have foreseen that holding nationwide political gatherings was reckless. Government was also reckless by allowing Parliament sessions to continue in a crowded environment and in a building which was built to accommodate only 60 people. That small building is now being forced to accommodate more than 270 MPs in the National Assembly and 80 in the Senate,” Chitando said.

“Most parliamentarians are over 55 years which means that their immune system is highly compromised. It might be the reason why MPs and ministers are succumbing to the disease at a fast rate. On the other hand, opening of schools during the third term was ill-timed since most schools were ill-prepared.”

Chitando said government showed lack of concern for the health of students and teachers as they went back to class with inadequate personal protective clothing.

“The government also gave its blessing to the MDC-T extraordinary congress, which was another COVID-19 super spreader. The government gave them a goahead, yet it had banned the holding of by-elections for recalled MPs and councillors under the guise that it wants to curb the spread of COVID-19.”

Chitando also accused Mnangagwa’s administration of failing to plan in advance for the return of Zimbabweans during the festive season, which resulted in chaotic scenes at the Beitbridge Border Post.

“The government failed its duty as security personnel at those border posts were concerned about taking bribes than the health of Zimbabweans. The nation suffered from that negligence and recklessness,” he said.

Efforts to get comment from Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.