Zimbabwe Protests Timeline
- October 2014: Itai Dzamara calls on Mugabe to step down and begins Occupy Africa Square Protest
- December 2015: Kariba pastor Patrick Mugadza is arrested for staging a one-man demo in Victoria Falls. His placard read: "Mr President, the people are suffering."
- April 14, 2016: April 14, 2016 – Around 3 000 MDC supporters march through Harare to protest poverty, joblessness, missing diamond revenue etc. The size of the demonstration takes the authorities by surprise. Riot police were out in full force but did not attack the demonstrators.
- April 20, 2016: Pastor Evan Mawarire records his first This Flag Movement video and launches a game-changing online protest movement.
- May 25, 2016: Zanu-PF supporters march through Harare and congregate at Robert Mugabe Square to show their support for the president. Organisers bill this as a Million Man March.
- June 18, 2016: [1] On 18 June 2016 travelers protested at Beitbridge border post, against the implementation of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which banned the importation of a host of basic commodities such as Coffee creamers (Cremora),Baked beans, Potato crisps, Cereals, Bottled water, Mayonnaise. Zimra confiscated the imported goods which required import licences for them to enter the country. The protests resulted in the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority suspending the implementation of the Statutory Instrument.
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- June 24, 2016: National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe leader Stern Zvorwadza and members of the Tajamuka/Sesjikile Campaign stage a demonstration in the foyer of Rainbow Towers Hotel, calling on Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko to leave his luxury suite after more than 500 nights. The VP finally left in August 2016.
- July 1, 2016: Protestors in Beitbridge burn down a warehouse and loot shops and destroy traffic lights in protest against a new ban imposed on imports from SA. The authorities react by transferring the entire police force of the border town.
- July 4, 2016: Transport operators in Epworth, Mabvuku, Ruwa, Zimre Park and Borrowdale clash with members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. The commuter omnibus operators were protesting against heavy police presence on the road. Police used teargas and water cannons to disperse people gathered at various pick up points in Epworth and the protestors retaliated using stones as missiles. They also blocked the roads.[1]
- July 6, 2016: A widely-followed national stay-away sees more than 100 people arrested including Linda Masarira.
- July 12, 2016: - #ThisFlag leader Mawarire is arrested.
- July 13, 2016: Massive crowds gather outside the magistrates' court in Harare to show solidarity with Mawarire, who is released on the same day. He leaves for South Africa soon afterwards and has not been back to Zimbabwe since. He is currently in the United States of America.
- July 20, 2016: Thousands of ruling party youths march through Harare in another apparent show of support for the president. It later emerges that they have been promised free housing stands.
- August 3, 2016: Protest against 'bond notes' (a new currency to be introduced in or before October) is broken up by police. Journalists also beaten.
- August 17, 2016: Around 200 activists from Tajamuka stage another protest against bond notes. Riot police break it up.
- August 24 – Opposition MDC-T youths march to home affairs ministry to deliver a petition against police violence. They are set upon by riot police. Running battles ensue, and ordinary citizens are caught up. More than 50 people are arrested.
References
- ↑ Developing: Kombi operators clash with police, Herald, published: July 4, 2016, retrieved: July 5, 2016