The former President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Peter Mutasa has urged Zimbabweans to stay home on the 9th of May in solidarity with the shutdown planned to express frustration over the poor salaries and state of affairs in general.
The Zimbabwean economy has been going South for the past two years with authorities blaming the trend on a number of issues including COVID-19, sanctions, corruption, and the “country’s enemies” who have allegedly been sabotaging the economy.
University Students, led by ZINASU, nurses and teachers have announced that they will be participating in the shutdown.
Students say they can no longer afford fees after recent hikes while workers are protesting against poor salaries and working conditions. In a Twitter post, Mutasa said workers must stay home on Monday next week. He said:
To all Workers of Zimbabwe Are you happy with the slave wages? Remember #ShutdownZimbabwe 9 May 2022 Stay at Home to avoid walking back home Drivers are staying away too.
Citizens want the government to:
- Bring back kombis
- End currency crisis
- Reduce the cost of living
- Reduce tertiary fees
- Capacitate hospitals
- Increase salaries and pensions
The government has since pleaded with students not to participate in the protests saying fee hikes were necessary considering the soaring inflation.
Information secretary, Nick Mangwana recently said the government was seized with challenges affecting the general populace.
He promised a solution to transport challenges that worsened in recent weeks amid reports that the owners of ZUPCO-affiliated commuter omnibuses (Kombis) were withdrawing their vehicles over delays in payment of what’s due to them.
The government has been at loggerheads with its workers since 2019 over salaries with employees saying they were now incapacitated to report for work.
Previously, the government responded to shutdowns and protests by shutting down the internet and deploying security officers who terrorised citizens in their homes.-Pindula News