Harare – Zimbabweans have largely ignored a call for an indefinite nationwide stay-away by war veterans leader Blessed Geza, with businesses operating as usual in major cities and citizens dismissing his demands, including a call for supermarkets to give away food for free, as “madness” and “playful.”
Geza, who leads a faction of war veterans demanding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s resignation, had urged citizens to stay home indefinitely, claiming the situation in the country had reached a critical point due to alleged mismanagement and corruption. He further claimed that supermarkets and retailers would be reimbursed by a new government once Mnangagwa steps down, and that citizens would be given clear instructions on where and how to collect food during the shutdown.
However, the call appears to have gone unheeded, with banks and large supermarkets in Harare and Bulawayo opening promptly at 8AM on Tuesday. Commuter omnibuses and long-distance bus services were also operating normally, transporting workers to their destinations.
This stands in stark contrast to Geza’s previous call for protests on March 31, which effectively shut down the country and raised concerns among authorities about a potential repeat.
Government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana dismissed the stay-away call as a failure.
“It’s foolhardy for anyone to think that they can dictate when and how people engage in economic activities. It’s equally grandiose for them to think that the Zimbabwean people are a subject of their whim,” Mangwana wrote on X, accompanied by a video of a busy Harare street.
National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi echoed this sentiment, stating that the security situation in the country was peaceful. “The ZRP informs the public that the security situation in the country is peaceful. The public is commended for the smooth flow of traffic and cooperation with the police in maintaining law and order,” Nyathi said.
In Bulawayo, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) entered its second day with no sign of disruption, with exhibitors from 28 countries participating in the business showcase.
A survey by the news crew revealed that it was business as usual in the central business district and industrial sites such as Graniteside, with transport operators also on the roads.
Critics had warned that the indefinite stay-away was bound to fail, given the highly informal nature of the Zimbabwean economy, where seven out of ten employees work in the informal sector.
The odds were further stacked against the stay-away call after the government, the largest employer, ordered civil servants to report for work, threatening tough action against those who failed to do so. The Public Service Commission also directed accounting officers to ensure attendance registers were completed, adding that participation in a stay-away was unpatriotic and an act of insubordination.
Business also made impassioned pleas to the public to reject the stay-away call. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) reiterated its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and the continued availability of essential goods and services to the people of Zimbabwe.
“While we acknowledge that citizens have the right to express themselves within the confines of the law, we urge all Zimbabweans to reject any form of illegal shutdowns or unsanctioned demonstrations that could disrupt economic activity, undermine stability and threaten livelihoods,” CZR said in a statement. “Experience has shown that such actions do not resolve issues but instead cause unnecessary hardship, especially for workers, businesses and consumers.”
Despite the failure of the stay-away call, critics argue that the underlying issues highlighted by Geza, such as rising corruption, a deteriorating economic environment, and a collapsed health system, remain unaddressed.
In a recent YouTube video, Geza, who is believed to have skipped the country and has an outstanding police warrant for treason, thanked Zimbabweans for heeding his call, claiming it was very successful. However, this claim is far from the truth, as evidenced by the widespread normalcy observed across the country.
Geza accuses Mnangagwa of mismanaging the country and facilitating industrial-scale corruption. He has also claimed that the 82-year-old Zanu PF leader suffers from vascular dementia and that unelected associates are now making executive decisions in his name.
“He is Too Playful!” – Zimbabweans React with Disbelief and Mockery
Zimbabweans have reacted to Geza’s call for an indefinite stay-away with disbelief, mockery, and concern, particularly his demand that shops start giving out food for free.
Many have taken to social media to dismiss his remarks as “madness,” “clownish,” and “playful.”
In the video, Geza urged food shops and supermarkets to immediately cooperate by releasing food supplies to citizens, stating that shop owners should record their stock levels in front of five senior managers and sign. He further claimed that the masses would be given instructions as to where they could collect their supplies, predicting a “long week.”
Geza also alleged that senior officials, including Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza, and Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, are allegedly working on a plan to extend President Mnangagwa’s term until 2030 without a referendum, and that parliamentarians would be “rewarded” with term extensions of their own.
He accused Mnangagwa’s administration of using corrupt cartels to maintain power and claimed that Zimbabweans have been betrayed since 2017.
However, the call for free food has been met with widespread skepticism and ridicule.
“He’s too playful!” wrote @MuketsiK in response to the free food idea.
@tiem_zw added: “Will see how it folds buh Cde Geza lost me paati indefinite, shops giving people free foodstuffs & citizen arrest of zvigananda.”
Others questioned the logic of the demand and the lack of planning around food logistics.
“Kkkk zvaanenge akutotsvagawo kwekupengera, shop ipi inopa vanhu chikafu mahara?” said @LTafara16, questioning which shop would give away food for free.
@GNyambabvu posted: “Fair enough, we get who you want to go and your reasons… but why are we not being told who they plan to replace the incumbent with? There seems to be some deliberate deceit about a fait accompli.”
@tapiwa_chiriga offered a more resigned tone: “When we characterised this one as a clown, we were asked not to ridicule people’s efforts and their grand plan. So yeah, we wish them the very best.”
@lashiasn also added, “Geza’s puppeteers have gone completely bonkers. They have turned Bombshell into a comic talking head, a caricature. Anyway, you heard him; All patriotic food wholesalers must come to the party and feed indefinite stayawayers. The new government will reimburse them.”
Many Zimbabweans expressed frustration and concern over the practicality and safety of such calls.
“Ndombanje manje idzi. Totungamirwa nemunhu akadai,” wrote @varidande, suggesting that Geza was acting under the influence.
Some drew comparisons to jailed journalist Blessed Mhlanga, claiming Geza’s actions had already resulted in others being punished.
The failure of Geza’s stay-away call highlights the challenges of mobilizing citizens in a struggling economy where many rely on daily earnings to survive. While the underlying issues of corruption and economic hardship remain, Geza’s increasingly outlandish demands and lack of a clear plan have alienated many Zimbabweans, leading to widespread apathy and mockery.
Geza finds himself at the centre of factional fights within the ruling Zanu PF party. Some sections within the party, mainly from Mnangagwa’s Masvingo province, are calling for him to hang on beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms up to 2030. The other faction, allegedly in support of Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga, wants him to hand over power in 2028.
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