By Munacho Gwamanda-The Joint Operations Command (JOC), Zimbabwe’s top security coordinating body, held an emergency meeting in Harare on Monday amid growing panic over a two-day national shutdown called by war veteran and activist, Cde Blessed Geza.
According to sources close to the meeting, JOC, which includes heads of the military, police, and intelligence, ordered the deployment of undercover security officers at key locations across the capital’s central business district.
Their mission: arrest and detain anyone suspected of attempting to disrupt business or government operations.
The meeting was convened shortly after Geza released an audio message declaring a nationwide stay-away scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, urging Zimbabweans to remain at home in peaceful protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
Security officials reportedly flagged several high-risk locations, including Munhumutapa Building (which houses the President and Cabinet), Parliament, Defence House, and State House, as potential targets for sabotage. The state’s anxiety has been further fueled by fears of bomb attacks or coordinated disruptions, according to insiders.
In a show of alarm, the Public Service Commission (PSC) also issued a strongly worded circular on Monday, warning civil servants against participating in the shutdown.
The PSC described Geza’s call as “reckless and disruptive incitement” that threatened national unity, economic stability, and institutional integrity.
“Tuesday and Wednesday are normal working days,” the statement read. “All public servants — unless officially on leave — are expected to report for duty. Participation in any stay-away that disrupts service delivery constitutes a dereliction of duty and an act of insubordination.”
Though the PSC did not mention Geza by name, government sources confirmed the statement was a direct response to his growing influence and defiant call for mass resistance.
A former ZANLA combatant, Geza has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of the Mnangagwa administration.
In recent months, he has accused the government of looting public resources, collapsing the economy, and betraying the ideals of the liberation struggle.
His shutdown call is the boldest attempt yet to force Mnangagwa out of office — coming just weeks after spontaneous protests rocked Harare in one of the most visible acts of dissent in recent years.
Over 100 people were arrested during those demonstrations.
Despite the crackdown — and a warrant for his own arrest — Geza remains defiant.
Speaking from hiding, he has continued mobilizing online, urging civil servants, students, vendors, and transport operators to “down tools” in peaceful protest.
Government sources revealed that high-level meetings were held over the weekend as panic set in. In an unusual move, the PSC instructed all accounting officers to compile and submit attendance registers for inspection.
On Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) joined the growing chorus of warnings, stating that officers had been deployed nationwide — particularly in urban centers, residential suburbs, and industrial hubs — to “maintain peace and order.”
While the ZRP statement did not explicitly name Geza, it warned against “interfering with the smooth flow of traffic and movement of the public,” vowing to arrest any perpetrators. Authorities also warned citizens against spreading“falsehoods” via social media, accusing activists of trying to “cause chaos and alarm.”
The government’s hardline response appears aimed at projecting stability ahead of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) taking place this week in Bulawayo — a marquee event that draws regional and international guests.
However, critics say the panicked reaction reveals a regime increasingly out of touch and rattled by growing public anger.
With the economy in freefall, rampant corruption, and a public service in decay, frustration is mounting.
The Zimbabwean dollar has collapsed, inflation is out of control, and essential goods are unaffordable for most citizens. Public sector wages vanish within days of payment.
Meanwhile, corruption scandals involving COVID-19 funds, gold smuggling, and dubious government tenders continue to rock the administration, with many linked to Mnangagwa’s close allies.
Geza’s message is resonating — particularly with unemployed youth, demoralized civil servants, and war veterans disillusioned with the direction of the so-called “Second Republic.”
“Mnangagwa has captured the judiciary and suspended Parliament at will,” Geza said in a recent online 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.”
Since taking power through a 2017 military coup, Mnangagwa promised democratic renewal and economic revival.
Nearly eight years later, those promises have largely evaporated. Parliament has been sidelined, electoral reforms shelved, and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) remains discredited after overseeing disputed elections marred by voter suppression and irregularities.
Tensions within ZANU PF are also escalating. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga — architect of the 2017 coup — is reportedly consolidating power within the party and military, raising fears of renewed infighting ahead of the next elective congress.
During Independence Day celebrations in Gokwe on April 18, Mnangagwa issued a veiled threat to digital activists, condemning social media “incitement” — a clear jab at Geza and others challenging his authority online.
But Geza remains undeterred.
In a final rallying cry issued late Monday, he urged Zimbabweans to take part in the stay-away.
“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.”