Opposition activists Gift Ostallos Siziva and Amos Chibaya are planning to organize mass protests in Zimbabwe, inspired by the ongoing protests in Kenya. They aim to protest the continued imprisonment of 71 CCC Chamisa faction supporters who were arrested for holding an illegal gathering. Siziva and Chibaya hope to use these protests to revive Nelson Chamisa’s influence and push for regime change. Online supporters of Chamisa are encouraging each other to be brave like the Kenyan protesters who are challenging law enforcement.
However, Chibaya and Siziva should understand that Zimbabwe is not Kenya, and anyone inciting public violence in Zimbabwe will face strict legal consequences. The CCC Chamisa faction must realize that their “Blue Movement,” which they claimed would bring significant change, cannot be revived by causing chaos. Their attempts to use the arrest of the 71 supporters for this purpose will have serious consequences, as seen with Job ‘Wiwa’ Sikhala.
The events in Kenya should be a lesson for Zimbabwe’s opposition that violent challenges to state authority will be met with strong force. No government will tolerate actions like storming Parliament and State House. It is hoped that the violent protesters in Kenya, praised by the CCC Chamisa faction, will reconsider to prevent unnecessary loss of life. The opposition in Zimbabwe should be warned that any protests will be met with maximum force.
