A general strike paralysed Zimbabwe on Wednesday last week as shops and businesses shut down, public transport came to a halt and children were turned away from school.
Across the country, people protested against President Robert Mugabe’s 36-year rule, some by staying away from work, others by blocking roads and burning tyres. Police responded by firing tear gas at any gatherings.
A spiralling economic crisis means that Zimbabwe has run out of money. The regime can no longer pay civil servants or teachers and strict limits have been imposed on the amount that ordinary people can withdraw from bank accounts.
In the past, Mr Mugabe, 92, would simply order the Reserve Bank to print money whenever his coffers were empty. But the worst hyperinflation in history forced Zimbabwe to abandon its national currency in 2009. The country now uses the US dollar. As a result, there is no apparent escape route from this crisis.
“We have had enough of this uncaring government and we stand in solidarity with all citizens in uniting for this cause,” said Themba Mliswa, a former MP from the ruling Zanu-PF party, who now wants Mr Mugabe to resign. “We demand all civil servants be paid immediately.”
Derek Matyszak, a lawyer and political commentator, said the strike was a “landmark”, adding that the economic crisis had created an “unprecedented level of anger”.
“People are also furious as they are not getting paid, struggling to get enough to live and they see politicians partying as if there was no tomorrow,” said Mr Matyszak.
Unless the International Monetary Fund or another institution is willing give Zimbabwe a bail-out, there is no way of avoiding the creeping paralysis and collapse of the economy. Banks have already started preventing people from withdrawing cash.
President Mugabe however urged civil servants to be patient and resilient in the wake of government delays in paying salaries,saying the challenges were temporary.
Days earlier, demonstrators set a warehouse alight on the South African border, protesting against new restrictions on imports. Bus drivers attacked police in protest against the countless roadblocks, where officers imposed fines for non-existent traffic offences.
The Zimbabwean government finally backed down and issued a “clarification” notice saying that Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016, which virtually banned the importation of all basic commodities into the country, was only targeted at commercial and not individual importers.
In addition, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has revised the law to permit individual import of nearly all the basic commodities previously covered by the ban duty-free once a month.
The review of the policy came only one day after Home Affairs minister Ignatious Chombo said the government would never back down on the implementation of the new import regulations because they were meant to encourage Zimbabweans to buy locally and stop enriching South African businesses.
After a week of turmoil, with protests in Harare and Bulawayo, it seems that opposition to President Robert Mugabe is building towards boiling point.
There we go again! It’s time for Robert Mugabe to offer a peaceful resignation and let the young one rule. Just like Kunda accepting the defeat by Chiluba. Even though the Zambian economy hasn’t been doing well at least there’s peace apart from marubbish from the PF government.
The same fossil material, that is Lungu’s mentor and most adored fiend of PF, a dictator…Zambia hasnt seen it yet, but the same suffering has began
Edgar lungu geats his instructions from Mugabe and Museveni, some of the world’s most ruthless dictators. It is not a surprise then that we are seeing Mugabe tactics being implemented by the police in Zambia shooting live amunition on unarmed citizens and crowds of peaple. There is an international crime of “shooting into a crowd” and this should be reported by UPND to the ICJ ASAP. Lungu has been supplying food to Zimbabwe at the expense of Zambians. Lungu mast go NOW!!!
THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL! IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL ZAMBIA WILL BE NEXT. PF CAN ONLY BORROW SO MUCH. IMF WILL NOT BAIL OUT ZAMBIA AS LONG AS PF IS IN POWER. NO WAY NO HOW!! THE FISCAL POLICIES OF THE PF ARE GOING TO SURELY LEAD TO HYPERINFLATION. WE NEED TO ELECT A GOVERNMENT THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. PF IS CLUELESS. ITS TIME TO END “CADREISM”. WE CANT HAVE PROFESSIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS BEING CONTROLLED BY CADRES. EDGAR LUNGU AND HIS CADRE MENTALITY WILL CRIPPLE OUR GREAT COUNTRY.
NO MORE PF!
NO MORE CADRE RULE!!!
No more loadist!!
Please don’t do it in Zambia, the little force has cost us enough live.
Ni Mapenzi mwa Lungu.
Pf has the capacity to take through this route due to borrowing in the morning and night without plan on how to repay.
Zanu PF, Zambia PF and Rwanda PF all have one thing in common; violence. They came and maintained power through violence. Kagame recently increased the number of terms he can serve, but at least he is developing his country.
Mugabes PF and Lungus PF are very useless.
OPERATION CHANGANYA ZIM STYLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zambia will be worse than Zimbabwe.I get so discouraged when I see even educated Professors and Drs debating in tribal lines when they know for sure Lungu and PF have no capacity to develop this country.All economic indicators show that PF have messed the economy and have no plan to improve the ailing economy.Due to Lungu and PF Zambians will start to leave like animals without any idea were the next meal will come from.
@Mwalachimona
Your frustration is mine too. PhD holders and professors have abrogated their responsibility to critique PF. Most argue on tribal lines and many more will vehemently defend the PF even after their salaries are delayed for weeks on end every month end. Zambia is headed the Zimbabwe way unless we become more reflective and do the right things for the sake of the future of our kids!
LUNGU CAN YOU SEE NOW THAT YOU WILL BE IN TROUBLE SOON. PLEASE LET THE ZAMBIANS VOTE MASSIVELY OUT PF AND ITS HATE LEADERSHIP.
ECL’s Godfather in big trouble.
Those who encourage violence ,let violence come into your house and not Zambia.
Let Jesus reign in this great nation all evil belongs to Satan.
Hell for Satan and his followers who know no peace let blood of Jesus cover this nation we say no to Lucifer Jesus on the throne.
Amen to that!
Since when were we imitators to Zimbabwe?
Mugabe is an old man and he goes in less than five years. Why trouble yourselves look at Iraq after killing Hussein, look at Libya after Kadaffi.
Do you think that will help your country, things will get worse off if you kill him. Do you know that he is the father of your nation who liberated you through much pain.
If I were you I wouldn’t say anything bad about him, if you are wise you can allow him to go in peace, lest you remain with a curse
A curse needs a resting place – a cause for it to take effect.
In the case of Mugabe, he would only be reaping what he has sown for years in his violence against his own people.
Like our humble president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, these at two states men who have done the best for the two neighboring countries.
Please don’t disturb them,they want to ruin their countries before they blow out.
Pambiri with Zanu PF dununa na Zambia PF
Iam back.. Gud evening everybody.. Zims case is way different from ours here in Zambia.. We are in safe hands currently..
Somehow, all of this is the American White man’s fault and we’ll be blamed for Mugabe and everything evil since the beginning of the Universe.
@Chinyama can you please go back wherever you came from? Seriously!!
Equally you..like seriously!
THANK GOD ZIMBABWE IS NOT ZAMBIA. MUGABE IS NOT LUNGU. THAT IS HOW GOD WORKS. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI IS NOT HH/EDITH/KABIMBA/CHANDA ETC
I love your post Benson!
If you vote UPND the same may happen in Zambia because those who sold our companies will still the remains from our economy because they love money more than human beings.The GBV man will award himself all the contracts and if you complain,you are beaten right away.
Hamalengwa! learn how to spell correctly before you make any comments.
Hamalengwa! So is it better now that all contracts are given to the Chinese by PF?
This is a timely warning to President Lungu. Lungu’s Godfather across the river rigged elections in 2013 with the hope that he would rig the economy. This has failed and Uncle Bob has nobody to turn to for a cash bailout and not even his Chinese friends with their trillions USD are prepared to help. Lungu is mistaken to think that he can cook election results and seek an IMF bailout soon after the 2016 elections. It doesn’t happen that way Mr President. An illegitimate Lungu govt will invite economic sanctions and without external financial help the broken Zambian economy will implode. Lungu and his Election Riggers will be wise to realise this.The chaos that will arise will consume Lungu and his comrades.The writing is on the wall!