ZimEye.com today brings our valued readers and contributors live update coverage of Wednesday 31 Aug #TotalShutDown protest.
16:37 – In Bulawayo, ZLHR lawyers led by Lison Ncube are offering rapid response after Zimbabwean authorities on Wednesday 31 August 2016 intensified a crackdown on citizens bank arresting some residents in Bulawayo including freelance journalist Crispen Ndlovu for allegedly staging or attempting to stage a demonstration in the country’s second largest city. Among those arrested include Alfred Dzirutwi, Mthokozisi Ncube, Plaxedis Denge, Lwandlolubanzi Ndebele, Hampton Maphosa and Lenny Kuzwarira, who are reportedly affiliated to the Bulawayo Youths Arise. Bulawayo Youth Arise had notified the Zimbabwe Republic Police about the protest on 23 August 2016. However, ZRP officers did not make any formal response to their notification.

1150 – HARARE:  Heavy Police presence
There is heavy police presence in central Harare with law enforcement marauding around the area.
The police descent is a response to the Shutdown calls which by #Tajamuka social movement and civil society organizations on Tuesday.
Business is however normal as vendors could be seen selling their wares along the streets.
Banks and supermarkets too, are open with people carrying on with business as usual.
Be that it may, the atmosphere is however tense as exhibited by the convoys of police water cannons roving the streets to instill fear in the public.
Last week the police fired tear gas on peaceful opposition supporters who had gathered at Freedom Square near Rainbow Towers hotel to protest against President Robert Mugabe.
The protest turned violent after the police’s attacks on the unarmed civilians and resulted in the burning of shops, market stalls and looting of supermarkets.
Government has threatened to order the police to shoot and kill anyone protesting.
 
1130 – HARARE:  Kombi Accident near near Irvenes Chicken.
Scores of people are feared dead after a commuter omnibus travelling from Harare to Chitungwiza collided with a lorry near Irvenes Chicken along Glen Norah-Chitungwiza roads, Irvenes Chickens are near Mbudzi round about along Chitungwiza road. More details to follow…

 
1030 – UMZINGWANE: Esigodini and all surrounding areas its business as usual but Friday is being publicised as the day Provincial mobilised demonstration will be held in Gwanda.
 
 
1030 – BEITBRIDGE & GWANDA: 
Low response to shut down in Mat South
There is general calm in much of Matabeleland South’s major centres this morning on the proposed national shut down.
In Gwanda the provincial capital, it is all business as usual with all shops and offices open for business.
A majority of the people on the streets in the town claimed not to be aware that there was any proposed shut down for today.
The Beitbridge border town is also reportedly calm with business going on as usual. However, there are reports of increased police patrols in the town particularly in the CBD and the usually volatile Dulibadzimu Township.
One of the community leaders who spoke to ZimEye.com on condition of anonymity claimed that it was difficult to mobilise in Beitbridge as most of the activists in the town are currently on bail facing charges of public violence from the July 1 protests.
The activist also claims that the new police officers deployed into the town are vigilant and ready to pounce on the residents to show that they are different from the team that was transferred and please their masters.
In Plumtree the situation is also calm and business as usual with no reports of any incidents of civil action.
Residents also claim that there was no publicity about the shut down. There is however also reports of heavy plain cloth police presence at the border post guarding against any likely interruptions of operations at the border.
Across the Limpopo River in South Africa, Zimbabweans are reportedly beginning to gather in Cape Town and Johannesburg preparing to march to the South African Parliament and Zimbabwean Embassy respectively to present petitions on the Zimbabwean situation.
In Messina across Beitbridge, Zimbabweans are also reported to be mobilising to march to the border post to demonstrate against the import restrictions imposed by government recently.
ZimEye.com correspondents are keeping watch on the developments and updates will be made available as the day unfolds.
 
0800 – HARARE: 4th Street rank calm so far this morning.
 
0430 – HARARE: (Kambuzuma) No public transport to ferry people to work. Kombi drivers park their vehicles away fearing the ZRP violence. Last week Friday many had their passengers teargassed while trapped inside the moving vehicles.
0300 – HARARE:  Last night, Evan Mawarire and Sten Zvorwadza made clear the protest program outline which is that Wednesday is the Shutdown stay away, while Friday will be the NERA demo…Send us your story of what is taking place in your area-WhatsApp: +447426863301