Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC-T vice President Obert Gutu has dismissed parliament as ineffective and less influential when it comes to speaking on behalf of the people while praising the Political Actors Dialogue which he said had made so much progress in dealing with issues affecting the ordinary people.

In an interview with Newsday, Gutu said POLAD had scored more than parliament.

 “Let me start by clarifying the fact that Polad is not an arm of the State in the same trajectory as the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.

“Polad is merely a forum for political actors to talk and discuss pertinent and relevant national issues. To date, Polad has scored spectacular successes in that we have managed to convene several meetings involving different political parties in the same room and under the same roof.

“We have held robust and no-holds-barred debate even with the President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa.”

He added that Polad was the voice of the suffering masses which has been neglected by self-serving politicians who are only after power and nothing else.

“I, for one, always speak truth to power. We have made it abundantly clear to the Head of State that the majority of the people of Zimbabwe are suffering and also that it’s high time austerity measures are set aside.

“We held a meeting attended by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube.

“The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Sekai Nzenza, as well as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya and we also raised the concerns of the toiling and suffering masses of Zimbabwe.

“If anything can be said, Polad is the voice of the silent and toiling masses of Zimbabwe. We are not noisy and garrulous, we are strategic and focused,” said Gutu.