Businesses in Zimbabwe are losing millions of dollars per
day as a shutdown protest - called for by the country's biggest labour union
body - continues over a sudden 150% hike in fuel prices.
Most businesses were closed by midday on Monday, when
violent protests that started in high-density suburbs spread to the central
business district of Harare.
Businesses, at least in Harare, remained closed on Tuesday,
amid social media threats of unspecified action to those who defied the call to
stay away.
The country's biggest labour union body, Zimbabwe Congress
of Trade Unions, called for the 3-day stayaway after the government announced
that the price of petrol would increase from $1.31 per litre to $3.31/l, the
highest in the world.
According to AFP, five Zimbabweans have been killed in the
fuel hike protests.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive
officer Christopher Mugaga said businesses, and retailers in particular, stood
to lose at least $5m for every day they were closed.
"We have looked at it. We are talking of an average
$5m per day in sales, especially in the retail sector. This also comes in a
month we have lost a lot of productive hours in fuel queues. So January will be
the lowest in terms of productive hours," said Mugaga.
While only CBD and high-density outlets were closed Monday,
those in wealthy suburbs, such as Sam Levy Village, Zimbabwe's most affluent
mall, remained closed on Tuesday amid social media threats.
At noon on Tuesday, social media platform WhatsApp seemed
not to be working, with many taking to Twitter to express their dismay with
government action.
Some businesses also fell victim to looting, with at least
two outlets belonging to Botswana retail Group Choppies having been
looted. Fin24
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