SA: Zim exiles call for change as army clamps down on protests

On Monday, several shops shut in Harare and police were deployed in anticipation of the protest. The streets of Harare remained quiet on Tuesday, with no protests recorded.

Zimbabwe’s governing party, Zanu-PF, said in January that it wanted to extend Mnangagwa’s term in office by two years until 2030. Mnangagwa, who  came to power in 2017 after his long-term mentor Robert Mugabe was ousted in a coup, is serving his final term.

Independence war veterans, led by Blessed Geza, previously supported Mnangagwa but have turned against him, accusing him of seeking to cling to power.

Ncube, who has been living in SA for seven years, said the Zimbabwe government does not belong to its people. “The current government was formed by the army, it’s run by the army, everything is in the hands of the army. This strike was mobilised by the army. But we need a situation where people are free to say their views. They are free to actually bring positive changes to the country,” he said.

Ncube said if the military’s involvement in government is merely an effort to seize power, then the situation will remain dire. “If they are doing this so that they can be in power, it doesn’t solve anything. They need power so that they can do a lot of other things that are against the will of the people.

“I can see hope, but that is only if people can choose a new government, not a government of these people who went to war. Zanu-PF is fighting a leadership war, not a liberation war. A liberation war is fought by people who are not greedy, people who love their country,” Ncube said.

Henry Ngwenya, a Zimbabwean who has been in SA for 20 years, said an internal power struggle is driving citizens away.

“If they can manage to settle on Mnangagwa, then there can be some sort of stability, but they want to replace him with another Zanu-PF leader, which means there will be no change. It will be the same as when they moved from Mugabe to Mnangagwa – no change. It will be oppression upon oppression, which will just lead to more citizens fleeing the country to SA,” he said.

Peter Magaso, a Zimbabwean who also lives in SA, said change needs to happen sooner rather than later. “People are tired, and we are not benefiting from our minerals. This internal fight is both good and bad at the same time.

Economically, we suffer, but politically, it gives citizens hope for change. The situation is calm, and citizens now believe they can stand up to defend their rights. Zanu-PF is now at its weakest moment.”