By Munacho Gwamanda- Police in Bulawayo on Tuesday blocked teachers from staging a peaceful march to mark the opening of a regional sports event, amid growing fears of escalating protests calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation.
The Association of Non-Aligned Teachers’ Unions of Southern Africa (ANTUSA) hosted its annual sports festival from 17 to 20 April, bringing together educators from across the region.
However, efforts by the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) to lead a short, symbolic march were thwarted by the authorities.
PTUZ spokesperson Peter Machenjera said the police denied them permission to march a short distance from Fazak Shopping Centre to Hillside Teachers College, a stretch of just 500 to 700 meters.
“We wrote to the police seeking permission to have an official march to mark our presence in Bulawayo,” Machenjera said.
“But they denied us that chance to march and market ourselves just to show we were here.”
Machenjera also revealed that their request for government support through the Public Service Commission (PSC) was ignored.
“As PTUZ, we wrote to government seeking assistance with transport. Remember, we have Public Service Commission (PSC) buses, but we received no response,” he said.
“We even wrote asking for financial assistance to host the games, but there was no response as well.”
Despite the police blockade and the lack of government support, the event proceeded successfully, with the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo, officially opening the festival on Saturday.
In his speech, Moyo praised PTUZ for organizing the event, saying:
“ANTUSA games foster camaraderie among nations, promoting understanding and respect through the universal language of sport. As we cheer for our teams and celebrate their achievements, let us embrace the values of collaboration and mutual support that these games embody.”
ANTUSA is a regional body uniting teachers’ unions across Southern Africa, including Botswana, Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Mauritius. Formed in 2007 at a BETUZ Annual Conference in Kabwe, Zambia, ANTUSA promotes regional cooperation, professional development, and improved working conditions for educators.
It also organizes annual sports and cultural exchange programs to strengthen bonds among teachers in the region.
The suppression of the teachers’ march comes as authorities intensify their clampdown on public gatherings, fearing a resurgence of anti-government protests led by Blessed Geza, a vocal war veteran demanding Mnangagwa’s resignation.
Geza has in recent months spearheaded a wave of protests, mobilizing citizens around economic grievances, corruption scandals, and human rights abuses that have worsened under Mnangagwa’s rule.
His calls for peaceful demonstrations have gained momentum, particularly among frustrated civil servants, students, and unemployed youths.
Authorities have responded with heavy-handed measures — deploying riot police, banning marches, and arresting suspected organizers — citing security concerns.
Analysts say the government fears that seemingly unrelated gatherings, such as sporting events or union activities, could morph into political protests inspired by Geza’s movement.
“The state apparatus is in panic mode,” a Bulawayo-based political analyst said. “Any public assembly is now viewed as a potential tinderbox.”
While Mnangagwa’s administration has long prided itself on promoting a “Second Republic” based on reform and openness, critics argue that the increasing suppression of civic space mirrors the authoritarian practices of the late Robert Mugabe era.
As tensions rise, civic organizations and human rights groups have warned that Zimbabwe risks sliding deeper into repression, with the government seeking to silence any form of peaceful dissent — even when it comes dressed in the colors of sport and camaraderie.