Female only pressure group calls on women to join July 16 protest

A NEW females-only pressure group, #beatthepot, has threatened to roll out a massive protest march on Saturday to force President Robert Mugabe to urgently address the country's socio-economic crisis.

The group, led by MDC-T deputy president, Thokozani Khupe and some Bulawayo MDC-T senators, yesterday posted a video clip on social media platforms outlining the objectives of the campaign.

The video begins with a woman beating an empty pot, and thereafter she explains that she is hitting the pot because it is empty and people have nothing to cook in their homes due to the economic hardships.

"We are hungry, we have no money and food, and we are beating pots because we have nothing to cook in them," the woman says in Ndebele.

Another woman then explains the same issue in Shona, before Khupe makes a statement in English.

"I want to call upon every Zimbabwean woman to join us in the Beat the Pots Campaign, which will take place on July 16, 2016. It is going to be a peaceful demonstration against hunger and poverty. Bring your pots and cooking utensils and join us to show Mugabe's government that enough is enough," she says in the video.

The women in the video also cited the country's high unemployment rate as a reason for further protests.

Last week, Zimbabweans brought business to a standstill after they heeded a stay away call organised by #ThisFlag, Sesijikile/Tajamuka, vendors and different other groups against corruption and the economic meltdown facing the country.

But, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo said the government was unfazed by the demonstrations, adding the stayaway was a flop.

Yesterday, #ThisFlag campaign leader, Evan Mawarire said he would today hand himself at Harare Central Police Station, after he was summoned to appear for questioning. He, however, said if police decide to lock him up, the mass stay away scheduled for tomorrow would proceed as planned.