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Muted response to Zim strike
15/04/2008 10:20 - (SA)
Harare - A general strike called by Zimbabwe's opposition to force the release of last month's presidential election results got off to a slow start on Tuesday, with shops in the capital operating as normal.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has called for an indefinite stay-at-home protest to protest the delay in the announcement of the March 29 presidential poll results.
But while some shop owners delayed opening as they gauged the situation, business went on as usual with long queues at banks and customers in supermarkets lined up to buy bread.
"I did not even know about this stay-away," said Mthandazo Ncube, as he headed to work in downtown Harare.
"The MDC should have spread the word around first before embarking on the stay-away."
Riot police, roadblocks
Riot police could be seen doing rounds in the central business district and some townships.
Police also mounted roadblocks along routes to the city centre. At a roadblock in the heavily-populated suburb of Mbare, police were ordering passengers out of commuter buses before searching them.
But the first day of the stay-away resembled a normal day as apathetic workers went about their usual business.
Winnie Kaizare, a bank teller said: "We were waiting for the presidential results but since the courts dismissed the application there is nothing we can do. It seems everything is controlled by the government."
The opposition MDC called the general strike after the high court on Monday refused to issue an order to the country's electoral commission for the results to be released immediately.
The MDC resorted to calling for a stay-at-home protest fearing a repeat of previous street protests which have been brutally crushed by the police.
In March last year MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and several supporters were assaulted by security forces breaking up a rally they intended to hold under the guise of a prayer meeting.
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Zimbabwe Special Report
