Political Demonstrations in Zimbabwe 2016

Mphoko Must Go Demonstration

Members of Tajamuka/Sesjikile Campaign together with the National Vendors Union and Restoration of Human Rights held a demonstration at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare in June 2016 against Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's continued stay in the hotel.^[2] Stanley Zvorwadza who leads the National Vendors Union and another unidentified activist were arrested by the police. Zvorwadza was released on $200 bail and remanded to July 13 for trail.^[3]

Shut Down Zimbabwe

Following the protests by transport operators, there were calls for the people of Zimbabwe to stay away on Wednesday 6 July as a way of demonstrating. Messages circulated across various social media platforms encouraging Zimbabweans to participate and not to go to work or open shop. This Flag Movement founder Pastor Evan Mawarire posted a video on various social network platforms appealing to Zimbabweans to support the protest which came to be identified as #ShutDownZim. In the video, the cleric also encouraged Zimbabweans to pray for the country.

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There were also calls by former Vice President Joice Mujuru for peaceful demonstrations. In her address at a press conference, Mujuru said that law enforcement agents should remember that the "demonstrators are the government that the police and other security agents should be protecting"

Those demonstrating, she said, should respect the rights of others including the security agents who are supposed to be protecting them. Mujuru also said that instead of suppressing the demonstrations, government needs to address the causes of the problems facing the country.

Here's a video of her press conference:

The Zimbabwean government encouraged civil servants and other workers to report for work as usual.^[4]On Wednesday 6 July 2016, Zimbabweans from all walks of life heeded the call to stay away in demonstration. The demonstrations however turned violent in some parts of the country such as Bulawayo and Mufakose as police clashed with civilians.

WhatsApp Service Disruption

The social media application WhatsApp ceased to function for four hours and there was speculation that it might have been blocked. WhatsApp was not working on the following networks: TelOne, Liquid Telecom Zimbabwe, ZOL Zimbabwe, Telecel, Econet and NetOne.^[5]

The Minister for Information Communication Technology, Supa Mandiwanzira denied government involvement. He went on to note that government was under pressure from internet service providers to ban WhatsApp,

"Since December last year this ministry has been under pressure from mobile network operators in the country to ban, over the top services like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and the like because the operators are claiming that these over the top services are eating through their revenue, and they have not spent a cent in building their networks."

^[6]

POTRAZ Warning

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) issued a press statement warning citizens on the abuse of social media. The stay away had been mainly communicated through social media. The statement mentions how anyone who is caught creating or sharing subversive content through telecommunications platforms can be arrested. POTRAZ’s statement echoes the sentiments shared by the Minister of ICT, Supa Mandiwanzira, who has warned Zimbabweans against social media abuse. You can read the statement here.

Commenting on the coincidence of the release of the press statement on a day a protest had been called using social media, Mandiwanzira said,

"There are elements which have been abusing social media by sending information on how to make bombs, how to kill, pornography or even child pornography and the regulator has a responsibility of warning people of such abuse of tools like social media."

Arrests

Police are reported to have made 36 arrests including 14 white people who were arrested in Matebeleland North Province as well as a Belgian national who was arrested in Victoria Falls. Occupy Africa Unity Square activist Linda Masarira was also arrested with 19 other people in the Harare suburbs of Mufakose and Budiriro. Masarira was accused of throwing stones and burning stalls of innocent vendors.^[7]

Call for another stay away

This Flag Movement coordinator Pastor Evan Mawarire called for another #ShutDownZim protest the following week on Wednesday and Thursday if government does not meet demands such as dealing with corruption, injustice and poverty. The cleric also congratulated Zimbabweans for heeding the call to stay away. He also condemned violence and encouraged members of the public to desist from violent demonstrations and destruction of property. You can watch the video below:

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References