Police Clamp Down on Vendors and Bars Amid Anticipated March 31 Protest

As Zimbabwe braces for planned protests set for March 31, 2025, a sense of unease is sweeping through the streets of Harare. Authorities have taken preemptive measures to curb potential unrest, with street-side tire vendors ordered to relocate their stockpiles of tyres. The move comes as police fear that protestors might seize the tyres and use them to barricade roads, a tactic that has been employed in past demonstrations, such as those in January 2019 and August 1, 2018.

Vendors in Kambuzuma, a suburb of Harare, have confirmed that they are being forced to move their tyres from their makeshift stalls ahead of the protests. One vendor explained that police have been conducting regular checks to ensure compliance, with warnings that failure to move the stock could lead to confiscation. According to the vendor, an officer explained that protestors might take the tyres and burn them as part of the protest.

The clampdown extends beyond tire vendors. In Chitungwiza, the nearby populous suburb, bar owners are also facing restrictions. Many have been instructed to close their doors earlier than usual, between 8 pm and 9 pm, in what some have described as an illegal curfew. Workers and customers alike have voiced frustration over the measures, which they claim are being enforced by truckloads of police officers. One local imbiber, who requested to remain anonymous, expressed discontent over the “unsanctioned curfew,” arguing that the restrictions were unjustified and disruptive to local businesses.

The preparations are in response to the upcoming protests, which are being organized by war veterans led by Blessed ‘Bombshell’ Geza. The demonstrations are aimed at pressuring President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign, citing accusations of widespread corruption within his administration. Geza, who has long been an outspoken critic of Mnangagwa, claims that the president has allowed corrupt individuals to profit from government tenders. Geza has specifically named several businessmen whom he accuses of benefiting from illicit dealings.

Geza’s calls for change have struck a nerve with many, as he draws parallels between the current political climate and the events of 2017, when Mnangagwa himself orchestrated the removal of late President Robert Mugabe with the help of war veterans and the military. Geza is currently a wanted man, with police seeking his arrest following the detention of journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who was arrested for interviewing him. Despite being on the run, Geza remains defiant, maintaining that his actions represent the will of the people and a demand for accountability from the government.

As the day of the protests approaches, tensions continue to rise. State security agencies, including the police and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), are on high alert, closely monitoring the situation and preparing for potential violence. With the heavy presence of law enforcement already evident in Harare and Chitungwiza, many are wondering what impact these early restrictions and warnings will have on the outcome of the March 31 protests.