Law enforcement was heavily present, and many businesses and offices were shut down in major cities across Zimbabwe following a warning from authorities against protests scheduled for Monday, demanding the resignation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Security forces patrolled the city centre after advising residents to disregard calls from a faction within Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party to protest against him, as he has been in power since a coup eight years ago.
A small group attempted to gather at President Robert Mugabe Square in Harare, the capital, but police dispersed them, as shown in videos shared on social media.
Protests were called by a veteran member of ZANU-PF, which has been in power since the country’s independence in 1980, following efforts by a faction within the party to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond the end of his term in 2028.
Reports noted that the main road in central Harare was empty, and some retailers, including car dealerships, had taken items off display in their windows. Schools were closed, and commuter taxis halted their services.
In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, major stores and offices were closed, and very few people were found in the usually bustling fresh produce market. Police conducted patrols in vehicles and on horseback.
Mnangagwa and his administration have faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement, leading to an economic crisis in the southern African nation, while repression has weakened the opposition.
Geza and his group of veterans from the war that secured independence in 1980 are advocating for replacing Mnangagwa with his vice president, Constantino Chiwenga, a retired general who played a key role in the coup against Mugabe.
