By Sharon Tawuya and Zachary Gava
Harare , (New Ziana) –The Harare Central Business District was bustling on Friday as businesses and mebers of the public went about their daily routines, with commuter transport operating smoothly and vendors conducting business ignoring calls by some shadowy groups for demonstrations over the recently enacted Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 3 Act (CAA3).
The demonstrations, which had been promoted by opposition parties and civic groups through social media platforms, failed to gain traction in the capital with reports indicating that the situation was the same throughout the country.
Political activist Bhekimpilo Mbedzi was among those who had publicly called for the protests, alongside other online campaigners opposing the constitutional amendments.
A New Ziana survey showed that life continued uninterrupted in residential suburbs including Glen View, Chitungwiza, Dzivaresekwa and Kuwadzana, where informal traders were conducting business as usual, and residents carried on with their normal activities, hiding calls by the government and law enforcement angencies to operate as usual.
In the city centre, human ad traffic volumes steadily increased as the day progresses as many people had chosen the cautious approach of waiting to hear from colleagues and friends on the situation in the city before venturing out.
By mid day business had returned to normal with shoppers, workers and businesses preparing for the weekend, without any disruptions having been reported.
Ahead of the planned demonstrations, the government had warned against participating in the unsanctioned protests, saying law enforcement agencies would remain on high alert to safeguard peace and public order.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police had also repeatedly cautioned members of the public against using social media platforms to spread misinformation, incite violence or mobilise unlawful activities.
The calls for demonstrations followed the enactment of CAAct3, which was passed in accordance with Constitutional procedures after extensive public consultations, contrary to the arguments by those opposed to it.
While the Zimbabwe Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration, public gatherings are regulated under existing laws, including requirements for prior notification to the relevant authorities and compliance with public safety provisions.
The ZRP had refused to sanction the planned demonstration citing fear of public safety as previous ones had resulted in massive looting and destruction of property.
New Ziana
