Zimbabweans Ignore Geza’s Call For National Shutdown

Zimbabweans largely ignored an indefinite “stay-away” called by Blessed Geza, leader of a faction of war veterans demanding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation, as banks and major supermarkets in Harare and Bulawayo opened for business as usual on Tuesday, 22 April—the day the national shutdown was meant to commence.

Commuter omnibuses and long-distance bus services offloaded workers at drop-off points in both cities, indicating that the call for a shutdown had been widely disregarded.

Geza’s previous call for an “uprising” on 31 March had led to a near-total shutdown across the country, prompting fears of a repeat.

In anticipation, the Public Service Commission (PSC), which employs all civil servants, issued warnings of stern disciplinary action against public sector workers who failed to report for duty. Police were also deployed nationwide to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and public order.

Government spokesperson Ndavaningi Mangwana, posting on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, declared that the strike call had failed. Said Mangwana:

It’s foolhardy for anyone to think that they can dictate when and how people engage in economic activities. It’s equally grandiose for them to think that the Zimbabwean people are a subject of their whim.

In Bulawayo, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair entered its second day without any signs of disruption.

Blessed Geza has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of mismanaging the country and enabling the looting of national resources by a select few, whom he refers to as “zvigananda”.

The war veteran, who was recently expelled from ZANU–PF, currently has an outstanding arrest warrant after being charged with treason by the authorities. He is believed to have fled the country.

More: ZimLive

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