Own Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) on Wednesday deliberately blocked MDC deputy chairman Tendai Biti to bring in copies of his book, Democracy Works, claiming that he was trying to smuggle the books into the country without paying import duties.
The book was co-authored with former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, Greg Mills of the Brenthurst Foundation and Jeffrey Herbst, the president of the American Jewish University.
The incident happened at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport ahead of the book’s official launch at Sapes Trust resulting in delays of the proceedings.
It was later launched at Sapes Trust at an event attended by Obasanjo, MDC President Nelson Chamisa, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols and several delegates from across all sectors including non-governmental organisations.
Soon after the launch, Biti expressed disappointment that the consignment of his books had been confiscated by ZIMRA.
“They just took our books. We had like 200 books which we intended to give our people, but they just took them and mind you this is the second time they just took them.
“They just gave the excuse (about) customs and we said we can pay the duty, they refused,” he said.
In his address to the gathering, Biti attacked several countries in the region saying the book had come “at a time when there is a challenge (for democracy) in our region, the Sadc region”.
Chamisa attacked the Emmerson Mnangagwa led Government for failing to uphold basic democracy principles comparing it to the racist Ian Smith regime.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo said democracy was important in bringing about development and stability in any nation.
“There is need to focus on democracy as a system for which there is no substitute for two basic reasons.
“It is a system that allows participation of all the citizens in all the activities of a country be it economic, social, political because it allows for discussion, delegation, dialogue and debate which other forms of governance particularly dictatorships don’t allow for.
“Democracy releases energy of the community better than any other system.”
The former Nigerian leader also said democracy was essential in managing diverse communities like what is found in most African countries.