By Munacho Gwamanda – The Zimbabwean government has been thrown into panic following calls for a national shutdown by outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza, prompting a swift and urgent response from the Public Service Commission (PSC) ahead of the two-day stay-away that begins today.
This latest shutdown campaign is Geza’s boldest attempt yet to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa out of office.
It comes on the heels of last month’s spontaneous protests in Harare — the most visible display of dissent in years — during which over 100 people were arrested.
Despite those arrests and a warrant for his own arrest, Geza remains defiant, urging Zimbabweans to peacefully stay at home in protest.
In a press statement issued late Monday, the PSC warned civil servants against joining the shutdown, calling it “reckless and disruptive incitement” that threatens national unity, economic stability, and public institutions.
“Tuesday and Wednesday are normal working days,” the PSC said, adding that all public servants — unless officially on leave — were expected to report for duty. “Participation in any stay-away that disrupts service delivery constitutes a dereliction of duty and an act of insubordination.”
Although the PSC did not mention Geza by name, government insiders confirmed the statement was a direct response to the growing traction of his call for mass civil disobedience.
A former ZANLA fighter, Geza has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Mnangagwa’s regime.
In recent weeks, he has accused the government of looting public resources, presiding over a collapsing economy, and betraying the ideals of the liberation struggle.
Through audio messages and social media broadcasts, he has urged citizens — from civil servants and transport operators to students and vendors — to “down tools” in protest.
Geza’s campaign appears to have shaken the state.
Senior government officials reportedly held emergency meetings over the weekend.
In an unusual directive, the PSC instructed all accounting officers to ensure attendance registers were completed and submitted for inspection.
On Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) joined the fray, issuing its own warning against the planned two-day shutdown.
Police spokespersons said law enforcement had been deployed across the country — particularly in urban centres, residential areas, and industrial zones — to “maintain peace and order.”
Though the ZRP also avoided naming Geza, its warning left little doubt about the target.
“In this regard, the police will arrest anyone who interferes with the smooth flow of traffic and the movement of the public,” the statement read.
The ZRP also cautioned against “abuse of social media” and urged citizens to ignore “social media postings meant to cause chaos and alarm in the country.”
The timing of the response appears to be aimed at projecting calm ahead of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), set to take place in Bulawayo this week — a high-profile event that draws regional and international guests.
But critics say the authorities’ hardline posture reflects a government increasingly rattled by its own citizens.
With an economy in freefall, endemic corruption, and a crumbling public service, frustration is mounting.
Geza’s message is resonating — particularly with unemployed youth, struggling civil servants, and disillusioned war veterans.
Speaking from hiding, he has continued to mobilize online, insisting that peaceful resistance is the only weapon left for Zimbabweans living under authoritarian rule.
“Mnangagwa has captured the judiciary and suspended Parliament at will,” Geza said in a recent broadcast. “Zimbabwe is now one of the few countries where the right to protest no longer exists. But we’ve discovered that staying at home is a powerful weapon.”
Mnangagwa, who seized power in a 2017 coup, promised a “Second Republic” and a break from Robert Mugabe’s legacy. But nearly eight years later, those promises have evaporated.
The Zimbabwean dollar has collapsed. Inflation is out of control. Basic goods are beyond reach for most people.
Public sector wages vanish in days. Corruption scandals involving COVID-19 funds, gold smuggling, and shady procurement deals have gone unpunished — many involving Mnangagwa’s close allies.
Meanwhile, the judiciary has been stacked with loyalists, Parliament sidelined, and electoral reforms shelved.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) remains discredited after presiding over disputed polls marred by voter suppression and irregularities.
Within ZANU PF, tensions are rising. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga — who orchestrated the 2017 coup — is reportedly consolidating his power base within the party and the military, stoking fears of renewed infighting ahead of the next congress.
Speaking in Gokwe during Independence Day celebrations on April 18, Mnangagwa issued a veiled threat to social media activists “inciting unrest” — a pointed jab at Geza and others using digital platforms to challenge his rule.
But Geza, undeterred, issued a final rallying cry late Monday: “I’m pleading with you to stay home. I know it’s hard — we’re living from hand to mouth. But this is our only hope to make Mnangagwa hear us. We are staying away to force him to step down.”