2016–2017 Zimbabwe protests

The 2016–2017 Zimbabwe protests began in Zimbabwe on 6 July 2016. Thousands of Zimbabweans protested government repression, poor public services, high unemployment, widespread corruption and delays in civil servants receiving their salaries.
A national strike, named "stay-away day," began on 6 July and subsequent protests took place across the country and diaspora.

The Zimbabwean government blamed Western governments for the protests and were accused of blocking social media such as WhatsApp from 9am until 11am on 6 July 2016 to prevent people from gathering to protest.

On 18 November 2017, anti-Mugabe solidarity protests were held in Zimbabwe and other countries, following the military takeover of the country on 15 November. On 21 November, Robert Mugabe sent a letter to Zimbabwe's Parliament resigning the presidency.

Background

The economy of Zimbabwe began shrinking significantly around 2000, following a series of events and government policies such as the fast-track land reform programme and the 1997 War Veterans' Compensation Fund pay-out. This led to hyperinflation, devaluation and the eventual collapse of the Zimbabwean dollar, high unemployment and general economic depression over the course of sixteen years.

The 2009 collapse of the Zimbabwean dollar led to the government's adoption of the US dollar and the informal adoption of other currencies (e.g. the South African rand and the Botswana pula). However, due to US dollars becoming scarce in circulation, to address the shortages, the government announced that it would issue its own notes known as "bond notes" that would be equivalent to US dollars. This led to widespread voiced resistance and campaigns by Zimbabweans around the country, fearing the return of the Zimbabwean dollar.

On 19 April 2016, Pastor Evan Mawarire posted a Facebook video calling for reform. The video begins with Mawarire stating, "I'm not a politician; I'm not an activist... just a citizen". As the emotive music plays, Mawarire wears the Zimbabwe flag and goes through each colour of the flag's stripes: "They tell me that the green is for the vegetation and for the crops. I don't see any crops in my country." He then returns to each colour again, stating how each colour should be an inspiration: the green "is the power of being able to push through soil, push past limitations and flourish and grow." He ends the viral video by promising to stop standing on the sidelines and start fighting for his country. From 1 May to 25 May, Mawarire headed an online campaign in a series of videos over social media, urging Zimbabweans around the world to wear the Zimbabwean flag around their necks and speak-up against the government.

Pre-protests

On 24 June 2016, a protest was held at the Rainbow Towers Hotel, with protesters demanding that Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko vacate the hotel's presidential suite in which he has been staying with his family since December 2014. This protest was led by the Tajamuka/Sesjikile, National Vendors Union and Restoration of Human Rights groups.

Earlier in May 2016, the government had announced that it would impose an import ban on specified goods. On 1 July 2016, cross-border traders began protesting against this ban on both sides of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Beitbridge border post, calling for the ban's removal. This resulted in the burning of a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority warehouse, temporary closure of the border post and several arrests.

The national stay-away day came after clashes between taxi drivers and the police two days earlier, with 95 people being arrested and several more beaten with truncheons/baton sticks and harassed. President Robert Mugabe met with senior Zimbabwean officials to discuss the situation.

2016 main protest timeline

On 6 July 2016, national "stay-away" protests, organized over the Internet via WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook social messaging platforms, using mainly the ''#ZimShutDown2016'', ''#Tajamuka'' and ''#ThisFlag'' hashtags, took place in Zimbabwe, following fears of an economic collapse amid calls for President Robert Mugabe's resignation. These were organised by the #ThisFlag movement, the Tajamuka/Sesjikile campaign and other groups. On 7 July 2016, Zimbabwean authorities arrested dozens of protesters as anti-government protests spread across the country. In the capital, Harare, the protests forced the closure of banks and shops.

Protests in Harare and throughout the country were still ongoing on 8 July 2016, despite police intimidation and calls from President Mugabe for them to stop. Mugabe, in a live national television broadcast from a stadium in Bindura, blamed Western sanctions for his country's inability to pay government workers on time. #ThisFlag protest leader Pastor Evan Mawarire said the movement, which uses WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter, would hold a two-day strike the following week from 13–14 July if demands were not met. This included the sacking of corrupt ministers, payment of delayed salaries, and lifting of roadblocks that residents say are used by police to extract bribes. Also, a drought has aggravated the country's situation resulting in millions requiring food aid. Despite Mawarire's call for a strike, most businesses remained open on the 13–14th of July.

On 21 July 2016, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) – a historically pro-Mugabe group of veterans of Zimbabwe's war of independence known for committing violence against opponents of the government – broke with Mugabe, calling him "dictatorial" and calling for free speech: "Regrettably, the general citizenry has previously been subjected to this inhuman and degrading treatment without a word of disapproval from us. That time has passed." Four war veterans' leaders were subsequently arrested for insulting and undermining the president's authority, and later released on bail. Following this, 9 ZNLWVA officials were dismissed from ZANU-PF including the 4 war veteran leaders, as Mugabe called for war veterans to elect new leadership.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Harare on 3 August 2016, marching against the introduction of bond notes, with the aim of submitting a petition to the Ministry of Finance and Parliament. The protest was sanctioned by the courts, and the first petition rejecting bond notes was successfully delivered to the ministry. However, as protesters headed to Parliament to deliver a second petition, police chased and beat some of them using baton sticks and water cannons, leading to dispersion of the crowd. One BBC
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