Hundreds of members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) took part in a peaceful demonstration in Sakubva in Mutare today. The community-based demonstration targeted the local TM supermarket demanding affordable food on the shelves and an end to shortages. The protest comes a week after members demonstrated in 11 areas of Bulawayo with the same demands.

As in Bulawayo, the protestors delivered an open letter to business owners and the ministers of Industry and Commerce and Home Affairs to demand meaningful economic reforms, rather than the unthinking slashing of prices. There have been no reports of arrests so far although police have been seen in the area.

About 300 started the demo but numbers swelled as people came out of their homes to join in – both children and adults. The atmosphere was electric as vehicles stopped and people enjoyed seeing WOZA/MOZA in action – liberating the streets through peaceful resistance.

One woman came running saying, “it’s bread and roses! I had heard it from others but now it’s actually here!”

The demonstration began with the song ‘akuna upfu’ (there is no maize meal), but soon changed to ‘more fire -upfu iripi? chingwa chiripi? Tofa nenzara!’ (more fire – where is the maize meal? Where is the bread? We are hungry). As one police officer walked by, the protesters started singing, ‘mupurisa urikuona zvirikuitika?’ (mr policeman, can you see what is happening here?) He did – but chose to walk the other way.

This is the third WOZA/MOZA protest in the eastern border town.

Afterward the ‘Woza Moya’ newsletter was seen all around the TM supermarket and some people were even parading around with the placards that they had picked up.

Police responded both on cycle and by vehicle but only arrested newsletters and placards before returning to the station.

A copy of the open letter delivered by the demonstrators can be found below.