Save Zimbabwe Campaign introduces noisy protest Wednesday

By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 November 2006

Zimbabweans who want the government to know they are suffering under the current economic crisis are being urged to participate in a 5-minute protest next Wednesday by making as much noise as possible. This unusual form of peaceful protest has been organised by several organisations under the Save Zimbabwe banner. This includes labour, students, political parties, churches, youth and women’s organisations.

Itai Zimunya from The Crisis Coalition said the idea is to make noise using whatever is near you at the time, like hooting your car, whistling, banging pots and pans or just simply shouting. He said they did not want to go back to the strategy of asking people to gather at some place like fodder for the police who always assault peaceful demonstrators.

A statement released by The Crisis Coalition said: “The protest will be against the ever increasing cost of living, collapsing health sector, the demise of education, food shortages, falling life expectancy rates, suffocation of democratic space and violation of women’s rights by the Zimbabwean government.”

It also described the suffering Zimbabweans are going through saying “The people are in pain, they have suffered enough. They are demanding a government that is sensitive, accountable, transparent and democratic. The Save Zimbabwe Campaign Taskforce is determined to fight an emancipatory struggle against tyranny and poverty.”

The first five minute national protest is on Wednesday 22 November, from 13:20 hours to 13:25pm.