Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Wednesday it had not consented to the reconvening of Parliament, claiming it could jeopardise talks to resolve the country’s political crisis.
”The MDC has not consented to the convening of Parliament,” secretary general Tendai Biti said in a statement.
”Any decision to convene Parliament will be a clear repudiation of the memorandum of understanding, and an indication beyond reasonable doubt of Zanu-PF’s unwillingness to continue to be part of the talks,” he said, referring to Zimbabwe’s ruling party.
”In short, convening Parliament decapitates the dialogue,” he added.
Staggering inflation
The political deadlock over who will control the government has hindered efforts to ease Zimbabwe’s economic crisis.
Inflation rocketed to a staggering 11-million percent in June, the highest in the world, from 2,2-million in May, and chronic food, fuel and foreign-currency shortages are worsening.
But many economists believe the figure is higher still and it has little meaning for Zimbabweans, who find that a loaf of bread costs almost five times more than it did a month ago — if it can be found for sale.
”Do they say in that figure that we can no longer afford bus fares, rent, hospital fees and that we can’t buy groceries? If the numbers don’t say that, then it is meaningless,” said Sarah Machakairie (48), a Harare vegetable seller.
Zimbabweans hope for a new leadership that can find a quick way to tame inflation and ease hardships that have driven millions out of the country and strained regional economies.
”When you’re going into a hyper-inflation cycle, until such a time as the authorities take appropriate steps to counter it, it seems to continue to spiral out of control,” said Leon Myburgh, analyst at Citigroup in Johannesburg.
The MDC challenges President Robert Mugabe’s legitimacy, but under Zimbabwean law, Parliament is convened and officially opened by the state president. — AFP, Reuters