#NERA Mega Demo postponed

THE National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) Mega Demonstration that had previously been scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, 02 September 2016) has been postponed to Friday 16 September 2016.

Nera's demonstration is aimed at forcing the Mugabe led government to level the political playing field ahead of the 2018 elections.

The demonstrations were expected to take place in different parts of the country at the same time, although in Mutare, police have declined to sanction the protests, citing security concerns.



This comes a day after a shutdown called by #Tajamuka flopped after Zimbabweans ignored it and went about their normal business. Calls for the shutdown were circulated on social media, with threats of violence against those who would ignore the call.

Police yesterday arrested seven people in Harare and Bulawayo following alleged isolated cases of violence triggered by businesses' refusal to heed calls for a national shutdown organised by local political pressure groups.

#ShutDownZim had been organised by Tajamuka/Sesijikile to force President Robert Mugabe to urgently address the economic meltdown.

Four members of Tajamuka/Sesijikile and freelance journalist, Chrispen Ndlovu were arrested in Bulawayo after they allegedly demonstrated in the city centre.

Yesterday, it was business as usual in most cities although the atmosphere remained tense, as police kept a heavy presence in the streets to avoid a recurrence of last week's protests, which later degenerated into a looting spree.

Tajamuka/Sesijikile co-ordinators yesterday insisted their shutdown campaign was successful, although it had gone largely unheeded by the corporate world and government departments.