Harare: Zimbabwe celebrates its 39th Independence from British colonial rule amid threats of mass protests over galloping prices of bread and basics.
Zimbabweans woke up to a new bread price hike on Tuesday - from RTGS$2.30 to RTGS$3.30 - $3.50. Several other basics are now priced beyond reach of many.
Social movement Tajamuka/Sesijikile warned of mass protests.
“We cannot ask (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa and his illegal government to reduce the price of bread as this is not the root cause of the problem but we ask Mnangagwa to reflect on the untold suffering and the abject poverty he has put the nation through,” Tajamuka/Sesijikile that has coordinated mass protests warned.
In Sudan, an uprising over the high cost of bread resulted in the army’s removal of long ruling leader Omar al-Bashir last Thursday.
“…Failure to do so will result in earth shattering demonstrations reminiscent of the ones we led in 2016 which led to the abdication of President (Robert) Mugabe,” Tajamuka/Sesijikile added.
Mugabe was toppled by the army in November 2017.
In January, protests over a steep fuel price increase resulted in the killing of over a dozen civilians by state security in the southern African country.
