On Friday, protesters burned a warehouse at Beitbridge, a busy border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa, over a Zimbabwean decision to ban a wide range of imports.
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In yesterday’s NewsDay, the front page had one of the most poignant pictures of the protests that engulfed Harare on Monday.
Political parties have warned that Zimbabwe is on “a knife edge” as the economy continues to tank‚ with the government now failing to pay civil servants.
War veterans have backed the ongoing wave of protests against President Robert Mugabe’s government saying the ruling party has failed Zimbabweans in a big way.
While cash flow problems had sparked a number of small protests across the country in recent weeks, Monday’s were the first to turn violent in over a decade. There have been threats on social media against schools and businesses that refuse to close their doors. This is for the safety of your staff and buildings.
As Reuters reported, the strike is one of the biggest – and peaceful – stay-away actions in almost a decade.
“Teachers who choose to put their lives at risk… rethink what your heads are requesting of you”.
But minister Made said: “What is of great concern to government is the falsehoods that are being peddled on social media”. He denied reports that police had already imposed a 19:00 curfew in parts of the capital.
The drivers’ grievances stem from anger over numerous roadblocks that police sometimes set up in city streets, which drivers allege are to demand bribes. “We are in full solidarity with the ordinary citizens”.
Schoolchildren run past a burning barricade, following a job boycott called via social media platforms, in Harare, Wednesday, July, 6, 2016.
They were charged with public violence, according to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, an NGO that provided lawyers for them.
In April the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), staged a large rally in Harare demanding that Mugabe step down over the deepening economic troubles. Commented @kodzafox: “Zimbabweans outchea buying booze and meat like tomorrow’s a national holiday”.
Wages account for 82% of government expenditure, and chronic cash shortages have meant doctors’ and teachers’ June salary payments have been suspended until July 14 and July 17 respectively.
In the last month, Zimbabwe has witnessed spontaneous protests against government corruption, shortages of money and government plans to circulate local bank notes as the southern African nation struggles with a drought and a slowing economy.
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Charamba said “all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with”. During the presentation, it was noted that police officers, through their intelligence units, were aware of the planned (Beitbridge) demonstrations, but did nothing to contain the issue.
