Geza calls for April 22–23 national shutdown

Outspoken war veteran Blessed Runesu Geza, widely known by his alias "Bombshell", has called for a national shutdown this week in an effort to pressure President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down.

Geza, who is currently in hiding, made the call on social media just hours after Mnangagwa's Independence Day address, in which the president warned against using social platforms to incite public unrest.

The shutdown, set for Tuesday and Wednesday - April 22 and 23 - follows a similar protest action on March 31 that largely manifested as a stay-away, with businesses shuttered and streets deserted across many towns.

"This is to send a strong message to Mnangagwa and his 'zvigananda'," Geza declared. "Shops and industries will not open, and kombis will be parked. The police will not teargas you, but if they ever come to you, you have the right to defend yourselves."

Geza has been vocal in his opposition to Mnangagwa's leadership, accusing the 82-year-old Zanu PF leader of corruption, authoritarianism, and failure to address the country's deepening economic woes. He argues that the president's grip on State institutions - including the judiciary and Parliament - has rendered formal protest avenues ineffective.

"Zimbabwe stands out as the only country where public demonstrations are effectively banned," said Geza. "So we have discovered that staying at home is one of the few powerful tools we still have to make our voices heard."

Despite economic hardship and daily survival struggles, Geza urged citizens to participate in the shutdown as a collective stand for change.

"I know it is hard considering we are living from hand to mouth," he said. "But fellow Zimbabweans, we are staying away to force Mnangagwa to step down."

The previous March 31 protests, which Geza also helped mobilize, ended with a heavy police crackdown. At least 98 people were arrested in Harare, with only three having been granted bail to date.

There has been no official government response to Geza's latest shutdown call, though the security sector remains on high alert.

Observers warn that as tensions rise, further protests and state responses could intensify in the coming weeks, potentially exacerbating the country's already fragile political climate.