On Monday, police presence intensified, and businesses, along with government offices, shuttered across major Zimbabwean cities as authorities swiftly reacted to protests calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation.
Authorities increased security in urban areas after warnings were issued against participating in protests organized by a faction within Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party. Mnangagwa, who seized power in a coup eight years ago, is now facing significant opposition to his continued leadership.
In Harare, a small group of protesters tried to gather at President Robert Mugabe Square, but police quickly dispersed the crowd, as shown in social media videos.
“It was supposed to be a peaceful march, but the police are already attacking people,” one protester told CITE, an online news platform.
“I’m not leaving… I’ll stay here, even if it means dying for my children,” she said in a video shared online.
The protests were initiated by Blessed Geza, a former ZANU-PF member expelled from the party, who is now in hiding. Geza’s faction is calling for the replacement of Mnangagwa with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a former military general and key figure in the 2017 coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe.
“The movement to oust Mnangagwa has already begun,” Geza posted on social media last week.
Harare’s city center was unusually quiet, with retailers removing products from store windows and schools closing their doors. Commuter taxis halted their services, and many businesses chose not to open for the day.
“There is no one outside,” a local man, speaking anonymously, told AFP. “People are scared because of the rumors about the protests.”
In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, major shops and offices remained closed, and only a few people were seen in the usually busy fresh produce markets. Police officers patrolled on foot and horseback.
Mnangagwa’s administration has faced accusations of widespread corruption and economic mismanagement, leading to a prolonged economic crisis in Zimbabwe. Additionally, political repression has significantly weakened opposition movements.
Geza, along with his group of war veterans who fought for the country’s independence in 1980, is advocating for the replacement of Mnangagwa with Chiwenga, who played a pivotal role in the coup that removed Mugabe from power.
AFP
