Job Sikhala's National Democratic Working Group distances itself from 31 March protests

TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA

HARARE – Opposition outfit the National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) has said that it is not supporting any protests that may happen on the 31st of March, on the basis that it cannot support an "uprising". This was revealed in a statement by the NDWG Chief National Organiser Joelson Mugari. The statement, seen by ZimSphere, was shown to all NDWG members. 

Job Sikhala, the founder of NDWG

The nation has been on the edge following explosive remarks by expelled ZANU PF member and war veteran Blessed Geza that he was to lead protests on the 31st of March with the agenda of making President Emmerson Mnangagwa resign. 

The ruling establishment has since dismissed Geza's call for protests as frivolous.

In the statement shown to NDWG members, Mugari said that participating in these protests is not part of the opposition group's mandate. 

"All members of the National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) are advised that we have no mandate to deliberate whatsoever anything to do with the 31st March 2025 demonstration. The programme is not the initiative of our organisation. This advice is conveyed to you from the directive from the leadership," Mugari said in the statement. 

"NDWG, as an organisation, has never been engaged on the matter as being peddled on social media. However as elders and citizens you also have your very own decisions to make, since you're part of the suffering masses of our people. You are, therefore, not limited to participate in the event at your own volition if you feel obliged to.

"You're therefore free to join, be it in your community organs or movements that shall be participating. The NDWG has no control over what happens on 31 and has no power or answers to determine what its members would have done."

In a voice message to NDWG members, Mugari said, "We are against the 2030 mantra and we will not withdraw anything. But we are against an uprising. Those who want to engage in one can proceed to do so, it is their constitutional right, but we are for defending the constitution against extension of the presidential term. That's our issue as NDWG. Don't mix these two issues. These are two different things. We are anti-2030 but we are against an uprising."

Efforts to get a comment from Job Sikhala were fruitless at the time of publishing this article.