Latest news with #Mnangagwa
Daily Maverick
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
When bail becomes a ‘victory' – Zimbabwe's dangerous war on journalism continues
Zimbabwe's government, under Emmerson Mnangagwa, has steadily intensified its crackdown on dissent. Far from the reformist image he attempted to project after long-serving former president Robert Mugabe's unceremonious 2017 ouster, Mnangagwa has led a regime characterised by the weaponisation of law, suppression of opposition, and an unrelenting assault on press freedom. Coming as it did, just three days after the World Press Freedom Day commemorations, the recent granting of bail to Zimbabwean investigative journalist Blessed Mhlanga should not be mistaken for a shift towards a more tolerant regime that is beginning to embrace democratic norms of a free press, justice or judicial independence. Rather, it is likely a begrudging concession to local and international pressure by a regime bent on cowing journalists, and crushing any form of dissent and freedom of expression. It could even be an act sanctioned by an administration that believes that Mhlanga's long and unjustified incarceration has served its purpose of sufficiently intimidating other journalists and showing them the fate that awaits them should they ever diligently exercise their duties of covering and giving a platform to dissenting voices. Mhlanga was arrested on 24 February 2025 and detained for a staggering 72 days. His supposed crime? Broadcasting his interview with ruling Zanu-PF party Central Committee member and war veteran Blessed Geza, who excoriated President Emmerson Mnangagwa for alleged corruption and gross violation of the constitution, and demanded his resignation. For simply giving a platform to dissenting views — a cornerstone of journalistic duty — Mhlanga was charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly 'inciting violence'. His case was investigated not just by the regular police, but by the Counter-Terrorism Unit — a worrisome escalation that reveals the paranoid Zimbabwean government's dangerous conflation of journalism with terrorism. Why this is important The context of his arrest is essential. Zimbabwe's government, under Mnangagwa, has steadily intensified its crackdown on dissent. Far from the reformist image he attempted to project after long-serving former president Robert Mugabe's unceremonious 2017 ouster, Mnangagwa has led a regime characterised by the weaponisation of law, suppression of opposition, and an unrelenting assault on press freedom. Mhlanga is just the latest in a long line of journalists subjected to arbitrary arrest, surveillance, physical attacks, and harassment. There is no reason to believe he will be the last. It took three separate court appearances before Mhlanga was finally granted bail on 6 May 2025 by High Court Judge Gibson Mandaza. In arriving at his decision, Justice Mandaza cited 'changed circumstances', including the completion of the docket against Mhlanga and the passage of time. Yet these factors existed or were foreseeable from the beginning. Why, then, was bail denied repeatedly beforehand? Why did the courts parrot state claims that his release would 'undermine peace and security' or lead to 'witness interference'? The judiciary's role in Zimbabwe is increasingly controversial and suspect. Courts are supposed to be independent of other arms of the state. They ought to be bastions of justice and constitutional order. Yet many Zimbabweans now believe that they appear instead to operate as extensions of the executive. The opacity surrounding their decisions — especially in politically charged cases — erodes public trust. In Mhlanga's case, the lack of substantive reasoning behind both the initial bail denials and the eventual approval fuels suspicions of political interference. The timing of the bail, just three days after World Press Freedom Day commemorations, also suggests the regime and the courts may have bowed to rising international condemnation and local civil society pressure. Abnormality of Zimbabwe's political environment That Zimbabweans and press freedom advocates around the world must breathe a collective sigh of relief over bail being granted is a testament to the debasement and abnormality of Zimbabwe's legal and political environment. In any functioning democracy, bail is not a privilege to be celebrated — rather, it is a constitutional right. But under Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has been reduced to a country where even basic liberties are luxuries dispensed by the state in dribs and drabs, very much like the state and its cronies distribute educational opportunities, farming inputs, healthcare and other essential services to a few chosen bootlickers. Mhlanga is out on bail, but we remain very far from a resolution. This is because the unwarranted charges against him remain in place. The sword still dangles, and the chilling message to other journalists remains the same — do your job at your peril. The broader climate of fear, persecution and repression of journalists, human rights activists and ordinary citizens persists. The government is not showing any signs of repenting from its nefarious agenda to frame independent journalism as a national security threat. By deploying the Counter-Terrorism Unit in Mhlanga's case, the state sent a loud signal that it no longer distinguishes between terrorism and journalism. This dangerous narrative undermines press freedom and the public's right to information and democratic participation. Mhlanga's ordeal fits into a broader pattern. Laws such as the Patriotic Act, the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, and various provisions of the Criminal Law Act are frequently deployed not to maintain order, but to sanitise the persecution of real and imagined dissenters. Unsurprisingly, Zimbabwe has become a nation wherein fear suppresses truth, and repression is enforced through a veneer of legality. Palpable irony In all the regime's machinations, there remains a palpable irony that cannot be ignored. Not too long ago, Mnangagwa immensely benefited from a courageous press. When he fell out of favour with Mugabe in 2017, it was the independent media — including Mhlanga — that provided him with a platform to air his views and remain politically relevant. Today, having entrenched himself in power, he has turned against the very institutions that once stood by him. This self-inflicted amnesia shows a leader and a government that is unwilling to tolerate accountability. Mhlanga may be out of jail for now, but ordinary Zimbabweans, civil society, and media watchdogs must not allow themselves to be placated by this 'victory'. Bail is not freedom. The charges against Mhlanga remain, and they should not. There is no legitimate case to answer. Journalism is not a crime. Conducting interviews is not terrorism. Asking difficult questions or broadcasting dissenting views is not a sedition. To allow these charges to stand is to endorse the regime's dangerous narrative that independent journalism is a threat to national security. We must remain vigilant because it is Not Yet Uhuru. We must continue the fight for justice. True justice will only be served when the charges against Mhlanga are dropped unconditionally. True justice will only be served when journalists can operate without fear of persecution, and when the legal system upholds its duty to protect, rather than punish, those who seek to inform the public. DM
Daily Maverick
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
When bail becomes a ‘victory': Zimbabwe's dangerous war on journalism continues
Coming as it did, just three days after the World Press Freedom Day commemorations, the recent granting of bail to Zimbabwean investigative journalist Blessed Mhlanga should not be mistaken for a shift towards a more tolerant regime that is beginning to embrace democratic norms of a free press, justice or judicial independence. Rather, it is likely a begrudging concession to local and international pressure by a regime bent on cowing journalists, and crushing any form of dissent and freedom of expression. It could even be an act sanctioned by an administration that believes that Mhlanga's long and unjustified incarceration has served its purpose of sufficiently intimidating other journalists and showing them the fate that awaits them should they ever diligently exercise their duties of covering and giving a platform to dissenting voices. Mhlanga was arrested on 24 February 2025 and detained for a staggering 72 days. His supposed crime? Broadcasting his interview with ruling Zanu-PF party Central Committee member and war veteran Blessed Geza, who excoriated President Emmerson Mnangagwa for alleged corruption and gross violation of the constitution, and demanded his resignation. For simply giving a platform to dissenting views — a cornerstone of journalistic duty — Mhlanga was charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly 'inciting violence'. His case was investigated not just by the regular police, but by the Counter-Terrorism Unit — a worrisome escalation that reveals the paranoid Zimbabwean government's dangerous conflation of journalism with terrorism. Why this is important The context of his arrest is essential. Zimbabwe's government, under Mnangagwa, has steadily intensified its crackdown on dissent. Far from the reformist image he attempted to project after long-serving former president Robert Mugabe's unceremonious 2017 ouster, Mnangagwa has led a regime characterised by the weaponisation of law, suppression of opposition, and an unrelenting assault on press freedom. Mhlanga is just the latest in a long line of journalists subjected to arbitrary arrest, surveillance, physical attacks, and harassment. There is no reason to believe he will be the last. It took three separate court appearances before Mhlanga was finally granted bail on Tuesday, 6 May 2025 by High Court Judge Gibson Mandaza. In arriving at his decision, Justice Mandaza cited 'changed circumstances', including the completion of the docket against Mhlanga and the passage of time. Yet these factors existed or were foreseeable from the beginning. Why, then, was bail denied repeatedly beforehand? Why did the courts parrot state claims that his release would 'undermine peace and security' or lead to 'witness interference'? The judiciary's role in Zimbabwe is increasingly controversial and suspect. Courts are supposed to be independent of other arms of the state. They ought to be bastions of justice and constitutional order. Yet many Zimbabweans now believe that they appear instead to operate as extensions of the executive. The opacity surrounding their decisions — especially in politically charged cases — erodes public trust. In Mhlanga's case, the lack of substantive reasoning behind both the initial bail denials and the eventual approval fuels suspicions of political interference. The timing of the bail, just three days after World Press Freedom Day commemorations, also suggests the regime and the courts may have bowed to rising international condemnation and local civil society pressure. Abnormality of Zimbabwe's political environment That Zimbabweans and press freedom advocates around the world must breathe a collective sigh of relief over bail being granted is a testament to the debasement and abnormality of Zimbabwe's legal and political environment. In any functioning democracy, bail is not a privilege to be celebrated — rather, it is a constitutional right. But under Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has been reduced to a country where even basic liberties are luxuries dispensed by the state in dribs and drabs, very much like the state and its cronies distribute educational opportunities, farming inputs, healthcare and other essential services to a few chosen bootlickers. Mhlanga is out on bail, but we remain very far from a resolution. This is because the unwarranted charges against him remain in place. The sword still dangles, and the chilling message to other journalists remains the same — do your job at your peril. The broader climate of fear, persecution and repression of journalists, human rights activists and ordinary citizens persists. The government is not showing any signs of repenting from its nefarious agenda to frame independent journalism as a national security threat. By deploying the Counter-Terrorism Unit in Mhlanga's case, the state sent a loud signal that it no longer distinguishes between terrorism and journalism. This dangerous narrative undermines press freedom and the public's right to information and democratic participation. Mhlanga's ordeal fits into a broader pattern. Laws such as the Patriotic Act, the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, and various provisions of the Criminal Law Act are frequently deployed not to maintain order, but to sanitise the persecution of real and imagined dissenters. Unsurprisingly, Zimbabwe has become a nation wherein fear suppresses truth, and repression is enforced through a veneer of legality. Palpable irony In all the regime's machinations, there remains a palpable irony that cannot be ignored. Not too long ago, Mnangagwa immensely benefited from a courageous press. When he fell out of favour with Mugabe in 2017, it was the independent media — including Mhlanga — that provided him with a platform to air his views and remain politically relevant. Today, having entrenched himself in power, he has turned against the very institutions that once stood by him. This self-inflicted amnesia shows a leader and a government that is unwilling to tolerate accountability. Mhlanga may be out of jail for now, but ordinary Zimbabweans, civil society, and media watchdogs must not allow themselves to be placated by this 'victory'. Bail is not freedom. The charges against Mhlanga remain, and they should not. There is no legitimate case to answer. Journalism is not a crime. Conducting interviews is not terrorism. Asking difficult questions or broadcasting dissenting views is not a sedition. To allow these charges to stand is to endorse the regime's dangerous narrative that independent journalism is a threat to national security. We must remain vigilant because it is Not Yet Uhuru. We must continue the fight for justice. True justice will only be served when the charges against Mhlanga are dropped unconditionally. True justice will only be served when journalists can operate without fear of persecution, and when the legal system upholds its duty to protect, rather than punish, those who seek to inform the public. DM
Epoch Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Risking Beijing's Ire, Mineral-Rich Zimbabwe Wants US Trade
News Analysis JOHANNESBURG—Zimbabwe, with its struggling economy and high rates of inflation, poverty, and unemployment, became the first country to drop tariffs on U.S. imports. The move by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been under heavy U.S. government sanctions for more than two decades as a key member of the China-friendly ZANU-PF regime, came three days after Trump imposed an 18 percent duty on the southern African nation's goods entering the United States. Mnangagwa, a former guerrilla who received military training in China in the 1960s, didn't launch his usual anti-American bluster, insults, and accusations of neo-colonialism and imperialism. Instead, on April 5, he used social media platform X to Mnangagwa, who seized power from Robert Mugabe by coup in 2017, said Trump's reciprocal tariffs held 'merit,' specifically 'as a tool for safeguarding domestic employment and industrial sectors.' Related Stories 4/7/2025 4/23/2025 He added that his suspension of all levies on U.S. goods was 'in the spirit of constructing a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with the United States of America, under the leadership of President Trump.' Statistics from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative show that commerce between the world's largest economy and Zimbabwe, rated Africa's 17th-largest economy out of 54 countries by the World Bank, remains minimal. In 2024, the United States exported almost $44 million worth of goods, mainly agricultural machinery, to Zimbabwe, while importing nearly $68 million in ferroalloys, tobacco, and sugar. Mnangagwa said his tariff measure was intended to facilitate the expansion of American imports while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports. 'This action underscores our commitment to a framework of equitable trade and enhanced bilateral cooperation,' he wrote in the April 5 X post. Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF party has been governing Zimbabwe uninterrupted since it gained independence from Britain in 1980, mainly because it rigged elections, according to the United Nations and other observers. The World Bank has classified Zimbabwe as one of the poorest countries, as the political and business elite allegedly collude to profit almost exclusively from its extensive natural resources, including gold, platinum, diamonds, coal, and critical minerals such as chromium, nickel, and lithium, which are becoming increasingly important to the world's future. Trump has exempted gold and some critical minerals from import tariffs, as his administration considers them essential to American progress and national security. They are used to make a wide range of products, including cell phones, computers, electric vehicle batteries, and weapons such as missiles and fighter aircraft. China has a near monopoly on the world's rare earth minerals and metals, in large part due to its dominance in African extractive industries, including those in Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa's kind words following Trump's April 2 announcement were a far cry from his hitherto regular calls for the downfall of the U.S. dollar and for the 'hegemonic' West to suffer erosion at the hands of a 'new world order' led by Beijing and Moscow, another close ally of Harare. However, some financial experts warn that Mnangagwa's scrapping of tariffs on American goods could further damage Zimbabwe's economy and upset its two biggest trade partners, China and South Africa, both of which have invested heavily in the African country. The country is heavily dependent on neighboring South Africa for most products, including food, its economy having melted down in the early 2000s after political violence and Mugabe's seizure of white-owned farms. 'It's unlikely that the U.S. will replace South Africa as Zimbabwe's main trading partner,' Mohamad Razak, an economist at South Africa's University of KwaZulu-Natal, told The Epoch Times, adding that South Africa would not be happy that Mnangagwa is ending tariffs on American imports. 'Zimbabwe taxes a lot of South African imported products, so Pretoria will expect it to stop these taxes and give it tariff-free access to its market as well.' Razak said Zimbabwe's economic partners across southern Africa—including Botswana, Angola, and Zambia—would also be 'rather disappointed' in Mnangagwa's 'unilateral' approach. 'There's a feeling that SADC [Southern African Development Community] should have decided on a common response to the tariffs, so that the interests of all countries are protected,' he said. In response, Zimbabwean government spokesperson Nick Mangwana told The Epoch Times the country's rulers have the right, as an elected administration, to make decisions in the 'best interests' of its citizens. Razak said Beijing, in particular, would feel 'threatened' by Harare's 'cozying up' to the United States. China has poured billions of dollars into Zimbabwe's extractive industry in recent years and owns 90 percent of the country's mines, according to a September 2024 study by the Harare-based Center for Natural Resource Governance. Beijing's ambassador in Harare, Zhou Ding, did not respond to requests for comment. Gold has been Beijing's chief focus so far, according to Zimbabwean independent economist Tapiwa Mupandawana. Zimbabwe is the world's 25th-largest gold producer, delivering nearly But lately, Mupandawana told The Epoch Times, the Chinese have shifted their focus to lithium, described by geoscientists as one of the most important critical minerals. Lithium is essential to the manufacturing of microchips, laptop computers, high-resolution display screens, and battery power sources. 'These technologies form the backbone of the internet, wireless technologies and the IoT (Internet of Things) that support today's infrastructure and are also powering the move to Industry 4.0. Green power and energy storage technologies like wind, solar and EV batteries are also critically dependent' on a small group of minerals, including lithium, Mupandawana said Chinese-built lithium mines are now prevalent across Zimbabwe, 'with more springing up all the time.' Harare claims that its experts have found the world's largest known lithium deposit, at more than 11 million tonnes, with the potential to supply at least 20 percent of the globe's lithium once all resources are fully utilized. 'I can think of lesser things than this to provide encouragement to the Americans to patch things up with Zimbabwe,' Booysen said. She's convinced that access to gold and critical minerals could form the basis of better relations between Harare and Washington. 'I think the Mnangagwa government sees the tariffs and Trump's mercantile nature as a doorway to exactly this,' Booysen told The Epoch Times. Winning mining and resource rights in Zimbabwe is 'just one piece of the puzzle' that could enable the United States to break China's stranglehold on rare earth minerals, while at the same time strengthening the U.S. economy and national security, Razak said. But Kim Gundani, a business analyst in Harare, said U.S. sanctions are standing in the way of a rapprochement. Washington has maintained sanctions on leading ZANU-PF figures and collaborators since 2003, when it accused the Mugabe government of torturing and killing political opponents and election fraud. In March 2024, then-U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new set of sanctions specifically targeting Mnangagwa and 10 of his allies, including his wife and military commander, for a range of alleged crimes. The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released a 'Mnangagwa provides a protective shield to smugglers to operate in Zimbabwe and has directed Zimbabwean officials to facilitate the sale of gold and diamonds in illicit markets, taking bribes in exchange for his services. Mnangagwa also oversees Zimbabwe's security services, which have violently repressed political opponents and civil society groups,' the statement reads. The OFAC said the first lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa, 'facilitates' her husband's alleged crimes. OFAC claimed Auxillia Mnangagwa 'is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery.' The sanctions froze all assets owned by the Mnangagwas and their associates in the United States and prohibited American citizens and financial institutions from doing business with the sanctioned individuals and companies. The government of Zimbabwe at the time described Washington's measures as 'inhumane' and 'illegal.' Booysen said the Trump administration seems 'far more open to ending the freeze' between Washington and Harare. 'Mnangagwa clearly wants Trump to drop the sanctions just like [Mnangagwa] dropped tariffs on American imports, using the possibility of access to Zimbabwean resources as a carrot,' she said. The U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs released a It criticized the Mnangagwa government for continuing to 'use violence against peaceful protestors and civil society, as well as against labor leaders and members of the political opposition.' The Bureau pointed out that Harare has made little progress in implementing the broad reforms needed for political and economic stability. It said that American support for the people of Zimbabwe includes 'holding accountable those Zimbabweans who use public resources for private gain and deny their fellow citizens fundamental freedoms,' according to the statement. At the same time, though, the bureau said the United States 'welcomes the opportunity to increase bilateral trade and investment with Zimbabwe that will benefit U.S. and Zimbabwean businesses alike.' Booysen said previous administrations in Washington would 'never have opened the door' to Zimbabwe to this extent. 'So it's not beyond belief that one day soon the United States could have a big stake in Zimbabwe's mineral sector, should certain things happen, and one of those would be to lift the sanctions on Mnangagwa and his associates,' she said. 'The Chinese will be angry should the United States enter what it considers to be [Beijing's] market, but [Chinese leader Xi Jinping's regime] is mercenary itself, so it shouldn't complain much if this happens.'
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Zim on the brink: Analysts warn of political implosion and economic collapse
With Mnangagwa accused of clinging to power and the opposition in tatters, Zimbabwe's future looks increasingly bleak. As Zimbabwe's socioeconomic crisis deepens, analysts warned this week that the country may be heading for an implosion. According to Harare-based human rights lawyer Thulani Mzala, the mineral and tobacco-rich middle-income country has been hit by 'multifaceted problems'. These include political repression, economic collapse and institutional decay, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeking to extend his rule to 2030. In addition scores of human rights activists are in jail, medicines and bed linen are scarce in most hospitals, leading to dysfunctional health care and prisons are running out of food. Zanu-PF factionalism and opposition collapse Despite stability hinging on political parties, including the ruling Zanu-PF, commencing negotiations, Mzala said a collapse in the Zimbabwean opposition and the factionalism plaguing the governing party remained among the 'negative factors'. 'The collapse of the Zimbabwean opposition can be traced to infiltration by Zanu-PF and Central Intelligence Organisation agents. 'Another factor is the infighting within Zanu-PF, with Vice-President General Constantino Chiwenga, who led the military coup to oust former president Robert Mugabe, at loggerheads with Mnangagwa over the extension of his term of office to 2030. ALSO READ: 'Help bring us home' – Zimbabwean permit holders say life in SA has become intolerable Power struggles and military response fears 'There has been a document circulating that is expected to go to Cabinet for the approval of the extension of Mnangagwa term. The document will thereafter move to parliament, with MPs expected to vote in favour of extending the president's term to 2030,' said Mzala. He described the Zimbabwean situation as 'very tense amid a standoff between Mnangagwa and expelled Zanu-PF central committee member Blessed Geza. 'Geza has been mobilising mass demonstrations and stayaways. He calls the president corrupt and says he is butchering the constitution in wanting to extend his term. No-one knows what is going to happen due to Zanu-PF internal factionalism. Whether Chiwenga still has support in the military remains to be seen amid talk of a military takeover. 'But the president seems to be in control of the military.' 'Not interested in democracy' Political analysts Dale McKinley and Sandile Swana said Zimbabwe was far from the restoration of normality Said McKinley: 'Zimbabwe is in a deep, structural, political, economic and social crisis. 'At heart of it is Zanu-PF, which runs the government and the military that supports it, and is not interested in democracy. 'They are interested in maintaining power at all costs, with the economic crisis going on for the past 20 years in varying degrees – irrespective of the removal of Mugabe. 'The predatory elite use the state – a vampire state trying to suck out everything. It will take a social and political revolution in Zimbabwe to change the status quo – people rising up, combined with pressure from outside.' ALSO READ: Meet the ageing war veteran standing up to Zimbabwe's president 'The crisis will continue' under Zanu-PF Swana said: 'The crisis will continue for as long as Zanu-PF does not want to share power. The Zimbabwean intelligentsia do not recognise the continuing role of Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa. 'Normality in Zimbabwe will come when Zimbabweans agree among themselves that Zanu-PF does not have the right to lead Zimbabwe. 'For as long as the crisis exists, Zimbabweans will live in Botswana, South Africa and other neighbouring countries because the Zimbabwe economy is terrible.' He said the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) leaders 'have been mutually protecting each other'. 'Those like Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who criticised the arrangement with Zimbabwe, have been ridiculed by SADC members for likening Zimbabwe to the Titanic sinking. Citizen participation Prof Zwelinzima Ndevu, a public leadership expert from the University of Stellenbosch, urged Zimbabweans to 'play a more active role in the country's affairs'. 'Elections failed to produce the desired outcome, with change in leadership not achieved. There is a need for an impact-driven grassroots movement to focus beyond politics on the general wellbeing of people.' NOW READ: Zimbabwean man killed in brutal hit-and-run in Rivonia
The South African
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Defiance or fatigue? Geza's stay-away appeal fails to gain traction
Zimbabweans have, this time around, ignored the war veteran Blessed Geza's calls for a second nationwide stay-away to protest Mnangagwa's rule. On Saturday, Geza appeared in a YouTube livestream video and urged Zimbabweans to 'shut down the country' on 22 and 23 April. He also warned businesses not to open and told citizens to remain at home in defiance of what he called a 'dying system.' To replicate the infamous 31 March protest, Geza keeps on urging Zimbabweans to unite and fight against Mnangagwa's leadership. The war veteran claims that Mnangagwa suffers from vascular dementia, which makes him unfit to govern. 'We must make it clear to Mnangagwa and his handlers that Zimbabwe will no longer be run from private farms and secret meetings,' Geza said. 'Shops, industries, everything must close. The people must defend themselves if provoked.' Zimbabweans, particularly in Harare and Bulawayo, decided to go to work. With the ongoing ZITF exhibitions, it is business as usual in the City of Bulawayo. Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono believes that because this stay-away failed, no one can stop Mnangagwa from ruling. He says Zimbabweans are unlikely to join future efforts to change things unless the usual opposition parties organise them. 'Zimbabweans will now be stuck with Mnangagwa until the day he dies,' he posted on X(Formerly Twitter). 'They will have to accept that his kids will rule them too, with the assistance of his crooked cronies and clansmen. Zimbabweans should forget about the 2028 elections. Geza has tried, but there is no tangible citizen support that was forthcoming. Geza managed to force Mnangagwa's team to stop chanting the 2030 slogan…' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
