A quiet day in Harare after Zimbabwe’s shutdown call
Harare experienced reduced traffic and heightened police presence on Friday as opposition groups called for a nationwide shutdown against constitutional amendments. The changes, approved by Parliament and signed into law in July, extend presidential terms from five to seven years and shift presidential elections from 2028 to 2030, with selection moving from direct voter election to parliamentary vote.
Zimbabwe's capital city saw noticeably quieter streets on Friday as residents and businesses responded cautiously to a shutdown call initiated by opposition groups and civil society activists. The morning commute into Harare's central business district was lighter than typical, with fewer vehicles on major roads and a notably absent rush-hour congestion. By mid-morning, some commercial activity resumed, though many shops remained closed while others reopened for business.
Authorities deployed substantial police forces throughout the city in anticipation of potential demonstrations. Officers blocked access to a popular gathering space and positioned water cannon trucks in areas previously used for public protests. Police have banned demonstrations, and Zimbabwe's legal framework requires public gatherings to receive official approval—a restriction that opposition parties have repeatedly challenged as overly restrictive.
The shutdown call was triggered by constitutional amendments that Parliament approved and the government signed into law in July. These changes fundamentally alter Zimbabwe's electoral system and timeline. The next presidential election has been postponed from 2028 to 2030, while both presidential and parliamentary terms have been extended from five years to seven years. Most significantly, the amendments replace direct voter election of the president with a system in which Parliament selects the president.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who assumed office in 2017 following Robert Mugabe's removal, won elections in 2018 and 2023. Under the previous constitutional framework, he was expected to complete his second term by 2028. Opposition groups and civil society organizations argue that the amendments enable Mnangagwa to extend his tenure beyond 2028, effectively circumventing term limits. The government has defended the changes as measures to reduce political tensions and enhance stability.
For some Zimbabweans, the amendments represent a departure from founding principles. Godfrey Gurira, a veteran of Zimbabwe's liberation war, expressed concern that the changes contradict the democratic ideals for which he fought. He emphasized that the struggle was for universal suffrage and popular sovereignty, not for dynastic rule. The ruling ZANU-PF party, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, has rejected accusations that the amendments serve to entrench presidential power.
Bell watches registries and rules change in near-real-time.