News / National
Business as usual as Geza's stay away is ignored
4 hrs ago | Views
Residents of Harare defied a stay-away call by war veteran Blesses Geza on Tuesday, with normal business operations reported across the capital and surrounding suburbs.
From as early as 5am, commuter omnibuses were on the roads, ferrying passengers—many of them informal traders—into the city. Vendors flocked to Mbare's bustling vegetable market, undeterred by the planned protest.
A tour by NewZimbabwe.com across several high- and low-density suburbs, including Dzivarasekwa Extension, Madokero, Westlea, Warren Park, Waterfalls, Greendale, and Chitungwiza, revealed no visible signs of disruptions. The same was observed in the Central Business District (CBD) and densely populated areas such as Westgate, Rugare, and Mbare.
"We cannot afford to stay away even if we wanted to," said a Warren Park vendor selling cigarettes, chips, and soft drinks. "Everyone understands what Geza is saying and agrees with him that only a few are living off Zimbabwe's wealth, but most of us are not formally employed. We eat what we kill on a daily basis. If he intends to have people support his cause, he should take a different approach."
Despite Geza's appeal for citizens to protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule, informal traders went about their business, and most city supermarkets remained open.
The government had previously warned civil servants against participating in the protest, threatening disciplinary action. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi assured citizens and visitors attending the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo of their safety.
Geza, a former freedom fighter who has emerged as a fierce critic of Mnangagwa, first called for a protest and national shutdown on March 31, which had limited success, with some businesses closing and scattered protests reported in Harare.
Currently in hiding, Geza insists the President is aware of his location. "We did not go to war so that Mnangagwa and his corrupt colleagues enjoy. We went to war for every Zimbabwean," he reiterated while announcing the latest stay-away campaign scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Geza has found himself at the heart of widening factional rifts within the ruling Zanu PF. Some party members, particularly from Mnangagwa's Masvingo stronghold, are lobbying for the President to extend his tenure beyond the constitutional two-term limit, potentially staying in power until 2030.
Others, reportedly aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, insist Mnangagwa must step down in 2028, as required by the Constitution.
Despite Geza's continued calls for mass action, Tuesday's events suggest that without broader support or a new strategy, mobilizing citizens for political change remains an uphill battle.
From as early as 5am, commuter omnibuses were on the roads, ferrying passengers—many of them informal traders—into the city. Vendors flocked to Mbare's bustling vegetable market, undeterred by the planned protest.
A tour by NewZimbabwe.com across several high- and low-density suburbs, including Dzivarasekwa Extension, Madokero, Westlea, Warren Park, Waterfalls, Greendale, and Chitungwiza, revealed no visible signs of disruptions. The same was observed in the Central Business District (CBD) and densely populated areas such as Westgate, Rugare, and Mbare.
"We cannot afford to stay away even if we wanted to," said a Warren Park vendor selling cigarettes, chips, and soft drinks. "Everyone understands what Geza is saying and agrees with him that only a few are living off Zimbabwe's wealth, but most of us are not formally employed. We eat what we kill on a daily basis. If he intends to have people support his cause, he should take a different approach."
Despite Geza's appeal for citizens to protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule, informal traders went about their business, and most city supermarkets remained open.
Geza, a former freedom fighter who has emerged as a fierce critic of Mnangagwa, first called for a protest and national shutdown on March 31, which had limited success, with some businesses closing and scattered protests reported in Harare.
Currently in hiding, Geza insists the President is aware of his location. "We did not go to war so that Mnangagwa and his corrupt colleagues enjoy. We went to war for every Zimbabwean," he reiterated while announcing the latest stay-away campaign scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Geza has found himself at the heart of widening factional rifts within the ruling Zanu PF. Some party members, particularly from Mnangagwa's Masvingo stronghold, are lobbying for the President to extend his tenure beyond the constitutional two-term limit, potentially staying in power until 2030.
Others, reportedly aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, insist Mnangagwa must step down in 2028, as required by the Constitution.
Despite Geza's continued calls for mass action, Tuesday's events suggest that without broader support or a new strategy, mobilizing citizens for political change remains an uphill battle.
Source - NewZimbabwe
