Zimbabwe vows clampdown as two-day protest starts

Zimbabwe’s police were out in full force as activists called for a two-day protest stay-away and #This Flag activist pastor Evan Mawariri was due to appear in court on charges of inciting public violence on Wednesday.

Mawariri is a leading force behind a subversive social media protest campaign against 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe.

Initial reports on Wednesday across social media platforms suggested that many civil servants – who did heed a stay-away call last week – have reported for work and banks in major cities were open.

NewsDay — www.newsday.co.zw — newspaper reported on Wednesday that Zanu PF officials and government security agents had “threatened to brutally clamp down on workers and companies found complying with the planned mass stay-away”.

After charging Mawarire‚ police raided his home and church office. His wife‚ Samantha‚ told the newspaper: “I can confirm that there was a team of gentlemen and one lady‚ who came with a search warrant‚ and they had my husband in handcuffs and they explained that they had arrested him under a certain section of the law.”

The Herald newspaper —

http://www.herald.co.zw/ — newspaper reported that government had provided alternate transport for commuters and deployed a heavy police contingent countrywide.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo on Tuesday blamed “hostile foreign embassies” for attempts to bring the country to a standstill.

Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Professor Paul Mavhima warned schools‚ including private schools‚ not to turn away children because of the “illegal” stay-away.