Ministers jostle to try to persuade people to go to work, as the national shutdown campaign draws near

Zanu PF ministers Joseph Made, Supa Mandiwanzira and the Police National Spokesperson Charity Charamba have jostled to encourage people to ignore tomorrow's protest as there has been some calls on the social media for people to join the protest against government's failures.

The acting Public service and labour minister Mandiwanzira warned teachers to go to work saying if they were engaged in any industrial action it was illegal.

He indicated that there has been no deadlock between the government and the teachers representatives and there was no reason why they should go on strike as the government would pay them on July 7.

The acting Information Media minister Made said the planned protests were the works of some rogue elements who want to destabilise the nation and people must not heed their calls.

Charamba threatened that any elements who are found committing violence on instigating any civil unrest will be dealt with as the police were out in full force.

Many police officers who were on leave were yesterday called on duty in anticipation of the outbreak of violence and in a disturbing incident a police officer who registered for a block released programme at NUST had to abandon the programme after he was called for duty.