Hundreds of Zimbabweans are Protesting in Support of the Nationwide Shutdown
The shutdown comes after recent announcements by President Mnangagwa of crippling fuel hikes.
Scores of frustrated Zimbabwean youths have taken to the streets of Bulawayo in protest of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule. This protest comes amid several other protests in the country by medical professionals and, more recently, teachers. Zimbabweans are simply fed up with having to eke out a living on a daily basis.
The Bulawayo CBD is now the site of a massive protest. Zimbabweans in Bulawayo have declared a nationwide shutdown with many workers downing their tools in solidarity, and public transport having ground to a halt. Numerous minibus taxis have taken to barricading the main roads. While the protest has largely been peaceful, riot police have been deployed and are attempting to disperse the crowd with teargas.
Watch the footage below of crowds marching through the center of the town.
Street protests in Bulawayo. #shutdownZimbabwe #ZimShutDown https://t.co/jDy6pDUXd1— Open Parly ZW (@Open Parly ZW) 1547454224.0
Reports of @PoliceZimbabwe firing teargas and water canons in Bulawayo and Harare high density suburbs. https://t.co/wFKvcYzwGx— Open Parly ZW (@Open Parly ZW) 1547453087.0
Since the elections that saw Emmerson Mnangagwa taking over from Robert Mugabes's three-decade long rule last year, Zimbabwe has been in a state of perpetual chaos. Most recently, President Mnangagwa announced that the price of petrol would rise from US$1.24 a liter to $3.31 and diesel from $1.36 a liter to $3.11. Motorists have been queuing up to fill up in what have been reported to be some of the longest queues in the country's history. One frustrated motorist said, "You can't have a country where people sleep in cars for days for a commodity that should be readily available."
Police at eMarket Bulawayo shooting tear gas at people wonder how much they are getting paid for this #idiottest… https://t.co/n6npv5HvTI— T R I F O R D 🗿 (@T R I F O R D 🗿) 1547456152.0
While the President is yet to release a statement on the protests, Zimbabweans on Twitter are currently detailing what is happening during the protest.
Ngiphinde ngikuzwe usithi people from Bulawayo are cowards https://t.co/IpYZj7Dz0l— Eddie Africa 🇿🇼 (@Eddie Africa 🇿🇼) 1547451265.0
Protestors have reached Bulawayo CBD. So far they have remained peaceful, although police are firing tear gas. Chan… https://t.co/vAgrmPHiLs— Doug Coltart ✊🏽🇿🇼 (@Doug Coltart ✊🏽🇿🇼) 1547454990.0
Bulawayo protesters marching turning away cars. #shutdownZimbabwe #ZimShutDown https://t.co/vRnSZOcNbp— Open Parly ZW (@Open Parly ZW) 1547454189.0
Armed soldiers deployed. #Bulawayo #shutdownZimbabwe https://t.co/7Yuxhtc3n7— Kgosi Nyathi (@Kgosi Nyathi) 1547452644.0
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