Zimbabweans stay at home amid fears demonstrations could turn violent
Independence war veterans had called for people to take to the streets to protest against plans to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/03/31/zimbabweans-stay-at-home-amid-fears-demonstrations-could-turn-violent
Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.
Africanews is available in English and French.
Website : www.africanews.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews
Independence war veterans had called for people to take to the streets to protest against plans to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/03/31/zimbabweans-stay-at-home-amid-fears-demonstrations-could-turn-violent
Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.
Africanews is available in English and French.
Website : www.africanews.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Across Zimbabwe, most stores, including informal traders and private businesses, shut down
00:06as citizens decided to stay at home on Monday.
00:10This occurred in response to a call from Blessed Gezer, a war veteran who is advocating for
00:16the resignation of President Nnagagwa, accusing him of corruption and attempting to cling
00:21to power.
00:22Basically, it all depends on what people call a protest.
00:27People are used to violent protests, of which it's not violent.
00:33I've walked all over town, like from downtown up to uptown, reasonably majority of the shops
00:40are closed.
00:41The stay-away demonstrations in Zimbabwe's capital and other cities is marked by significant
00:46police presence, effectively dampening veterans' appeal for large-scale protests against Nnagagwa's
00:52administration.
00:54Some political analysts believe that economic shutdown will still convey a strong message
00:59to those in power.
01:02The police are chasing people trying to stop us from gathering.
01:07To us, it shows there is no democracy in our nation, because there is no point that they
01:19should deny us the right to protest.
01:22We simply want to air our views.
01:24Even the informal traders who usually brave most conditions chose also to stay away, leaving
01:30the streets empty and deserted.
01:33Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party said in January it wanted to extend Nnagagwa's term in office
01:39by two years until 2030.