Harare Awaits Reaction as Nationwide Shutdown Call Meets Heavy Police Presence
Harare's streets were unusually quiet on Friday as police patrolled the city while opposition groups urged a nationwide shutdown over recent constitutional changes.
Friday saw a noticeable drop in traffic on roads leading to Harare's central business district, with the usual morning rush largely absent. Police were deployed citywide, sealing off a well-known park and parking water-cannon vehicles in a former protest zone, underscoring a ban on assemblies. Opposition parties and civil-society groups urged citizens to observe a nationwide shutdown, contending that July-passed constitutional amendments could allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030.
Government spokesperson Farai Marapira argued the changes aim to reduce pre-election tensions, while veterans like Godfrey Gurira condemned them as a betrayal of liberation ideals. As the day progressed, many shops reopened, taxis returned, and traffic increased, yet the dispute over the amendments persists, with challenges filed in the Constitutional Court.
Why it matters
The shutdown call highlights deep political divisions in Zimbabwe over constitutional reforms that could extend the president's tenure.
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