Tajamuka demo today

Civic groups and social movements, among them Tajamuka/Sesijikile and #ThisFlag, vowed to "shut down" major cities such as Harare and Bulawayo today in protest against corruption, alleged human rights violations and the impending introduction of bond notes.

They vowed to go ahead with the mass protests despite a police ban on their demonstration.

Police in Harare and Bulawayo banned today's protests, citing the organisers' failure to file their application within the stipulated time.

One of the co-ordinators and Occupy Africa Unity Square spokesperson, Patson Dzamara, said they wrote to the police in Harare advising them of the demonstration, but were warned against going ahead with the protest.

But Dzamara vowed they would defy the police ban.

"We are heading towards a total precipice and we cannot continue like this. The time for us to draw a solid line in the sand has come," he said.

"Cognisant of the fact that (President Robert) Mugabe and his minions won't listen to our outcry, we must speak to them in their own language.

"We must get into the streets and tell them we are tired and unhappy at their misrule, leadership failure, corruption and Zanu-PF-made poverty. We can't just whisper about it in our little corners or rant on social media and end there. We must take a stand, action is critical."

Dzamara said they had notified the police of their intentions and would defy any ban.

#ThisFlower leader, Stan Zvorwadza said there was no going back tomorrow, arguing police had no mandate to tell them how to proceed with their demo.

"We follow the Constitution and as social movements, there is nowhere written that police must regulate us. It's game on and we will not bow down. We are not afraid of them and come Friday we will be there," he said.

Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi professed ignorance of the planned demonstrations.

"I am not aware of that demonstration. I cannot comment on something I am not aware of," he said.