Terrence Mawawa Masvingo |The current protests against President Robert Mugabe have spread to the rural areas of Zimbabwe as pressure mounts on the veteran leader to step down.
As opposition parties, civic organisations and the people of Zimbabwe in general continue to pile pressure on the nonagenarian and his cronies to step down, the incessant protests have spread to rural parts of the country.
#Zimbabwe Yadzoka, a pressure group, is mobilising villagers in Gutu and Zaka districts to participate in the nation wide anti-Mugabe protests. #ZimbabweYadzoka coordinator, Victor Chimhutu said the group was determined to mobilise villagers to participate in the protests against the Mugabe administration. He also said the group was on the ground mobilising grassroots membership.
“We have structures in Gutu and Zaka because we want the people in the rural areas to join the wave of anti-Mugabe protests. We are receiving overwhelming support in the rural areas and we are not afraid of the regime. We hold meetings at night and people are ready to fight for freedom. We spread our messages through graffiti, fliers and branded t-shirts. Our vision is to call on the people in the rural areas to join the demonstrations. We want Mugabe to leave office and we have nothing to do with ordinary Zanu PF members. I was arrested several times so there is nothing to fear at all.The people in the rural areas have been passive for too long .We strongly condemn police violence against the people,”said Chimhutu. Speaking from his hospital bad last week, National Vendors Association of Zimbabwe leader Stern Zvorwadza condoned the involvement of villagers in the anti-Mugabe protests.