ZIMBABWEANS yesterday ignored desperate calls by a shadowy,
pro-MDC Alliance group, Tajamuka and its affiliates to shut down the country on
an anti-Government move to demonstrate against President Mnangagwa’s
administration.
Social media was on Sunday awash with information from the
group and civil society urging people to stay indoors in what they termed “Shut
down Zimbabwe”, a code for violent demonstrations to bring business to a halt
in the country and topple the Government.
Snap surveys in Bulawayo, Midlands and Matabeleland South
provinces established that the shut down was a total flop as people ignored
calls on social media by rogue elements within opposition parties and civil
society to stay away from work as a way of pushing President Mnangagwa out of
power.
Different associations including the International Cross
Border Traders Association warned its members to avoid travelling this week
following reports that there would be a shut down in the country.
In Bulawayo, it was business as usual with a heavy police
presence in the city centre, industrial and residential areas as police
demonstrated their readiness to maintain law and order after hearing of the
planned demonstrations.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi said they will continue to maintain law and order.
“As part of our mandate, we’re maintaining law and order.
Nobody has the right to stop another person to go about doing their duties as
long as what they’re doing is lawful,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He urged Zimbabweans to ignore the messages and continue
with their lives “without hindrance”.
In Midlands province, it was business as usual too. Commuter omnibuses were also busy ferrying people to their
various destinations as they also totally ignored the stayaway call.
“We are doing our business, we have been busy at work. It’s been a normal Monday morning where the
traffic is hectic and we are still doing business,” said Mr Simon Chingwere who
drives a kombi which services the City-Moab Highway.
Mr Takaona Chuma, an informal trader said he was in the
Kwekwe Central Business District at around 6 am to do his orders.
“I was at my vending stall at around 6am because I was
supposed to receive my delivery at that time. It’s a normal day and we can’t
rely on social media reports. We don’t get food from social media so we have to
work,” he said.
It was the same normal business in schools with teachers
reporting for duty. “We only heard there were some social media calls to stay
indoors but we can’t listen or take instructions from social media. We have our teachers’ representatives, we did
not hear anything from them so we can’t just stay home because of social media
threats,” said a teacher at Chaplin High School.
In Gwanda, Matabeleland South it was business as usual as
people ignored the call for them to strike. People could be seen pacing up and
down the streets as they went about their daily activities. Shops in the town
were open throughout the day while schools conducted lessons as usual. Vendors,
transport operators and other service providers also conducted their activities
as usual.
Workers from various government departments, organisations
and institutions reported for duty and various offices were serving the public
as expected. A peaceful environment prevailed throughout the day.
In January, at least six people died while businesses lost
goods and property worth millions of dollars after violent protestors went on a
looting spree and in some cases torched the buildings after looting.
Supermarkets, service stations, butcheries, pharmacies, bottle stores and bars
were targeted in the protests. Some motorists had their vehicles set on fire.
Bulawayo was the worst affected in the country.
Industrialists said the economy could have lost business
amounting to $300 million over the three-day forced shut-down.
President Mnangagwa is on record calling for peace in the
country and emphasising that violence will neither revive the economy nor
rebuild the nation. Chronicle
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