Temba Mliswa, a straight-talking independent lawmaker who used to belong to ZANU PF, thinks the March 31 protest against President Mnangagwa might lead to trouble. He shared his thoughts on the X platform, warning that protests without permits could cause the government to crack down hard on people.
The planned protest has gained steam on social media, with war veteran Blessed "Bombshell" Geza pushing for action against Mnangagwa. Many citizens want to speak up about money problems and how the country is run. But Mliswa says this approach might backfire badly.
He believes people have the right to protest according to the constitution. However, he stresses these protests need official approval. Without this green light, the government might see it as an attempt to overthrow them. This could cause security forces to respond with what they call "minimum force" against protesters.
Zimbabwe has a dark history of violence when people protest. Past demonstrations ended with police and soldiers hurting citizens. Mliswa reminds everyone how these situations often spiral out of control, causing harm when problems could be solved through talking instead.
The state security team has crushed protests before and probably will again if challenged. Mliswa respects war veterans and agrees they face real problems. He mentions Cde Mathibela Moyo as an elder he looks up to. Yet, he thinks they should find better ways to address their concerns because the government remains powerful.
He also calls out opposition leaders and keyboard warriors who push for protests but vanish when things heat up. He points to Job Sikhala, Jameson Timba, and Jacob Ngarivhume, saying their supporters abandoned them after their arrests. Many loudmouths hide behind screens rather than join the real action.
Mliswa suggests a smarter plan - organize a peaceful protest asking for Geza to return safely. This makes more sense than trying to remove an elected president, which counts as treason. His comments highlight deep splits in Zimbabwe politics as fights over who replaces Mnangagwa grow more intense.
The planned March 31 protest might still happen despite these warnings. But experience shows that challenging the government outside legal channels often leads to harsh crackdowns. With unhappy war veterans and activists, the political situation remains ready to explode at any moment.
The planned protest has gained steam on social media, with war veteran Blessed "Bombshell" Geza pushing for action against Mnangagwa. Many citizens want to speak up about money problems and how the country is run. But Mliswa says this approach might backfire badly.
He believes people have the right to protest according to the constitution. However, he stresses these protests need official approval. Without this green light, the government might see it as an attempt to overthrow them. This could cause security forces to respond with what they call "minimum force" against protesters.
Zimbabwe has a dark history of violence when people protest. Past demonstrations ended with police and soldiers hurting citizens. Mliswa reminds everyone how these situations often spiral out of control, causing harm when problems could be solved through talking instead.
The state security team has crushed protests before and probably will again if challenged. Mliswa respects war veterans and agrees they face real problems. He mentions Cde Mathibela Moyo as an elder he looks up to. Yet, he thinks they should find better ways to address their concerns because the government remains powerful.
He also calls out opposition leaders and keyboard warriors who push for protests but vanish when things heat up. He points to Job Sikhala, Jameson Timba, and Jacob Ngarivhume, saying their supporters abandoned them after their arrests. Many loudmouths hide behind screens rather than join the real action.
Mliswa suggests a smarter plan - organize a peaceful protest asking for Geza to return safely. This makes more sense than trying to remove an elected president, which counts as treason. His comments highlight deep splits in Zimbabwe politics as fights over who replaces Mnangagwa grow more intense.
The planned March 31 protest might still happen despite these warnings. But experience shows that challenging the government outside legal channels often leads to harsh crackdowns. With unhappy war veterans and activists, the political situation remains ready to explode at any moment.
