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People went through their normal business in Harare’s Central Business District after ignoring stayaway/shutdown calls by shadowy opposition groups on social media

Lawson Mabhena Assistant News Editor
The much-hyped July 6 “mass stayaway” or “shutdown of Zimbabwe” which was engineered by a group of anti-Government malcontents with the aid of US and French embassies was a monumental failure, a headcount of civil servants who reported for duty, as well as shops and banks that were open, have revealed.

Contrary to privately-owned press and Western propaganda that the stayaway was huge success which brought the country to its knees, instigators of the campaign led by Evan Mawarire of the #This Flag campaign only recorded success in Harare and, to a minimal extent, in Bulawayo.

A countrywide survey vindicates The Herald’s report on Thursday that the so-called shutdown was largely ignored by Zimbabweans as an estimated 73 percent of people clocked in for work.

Government’s swift response in meeting its salary obligations, especially in the health sector, pulled the rug from under the feet of political malcontents who had hijacked a peaceful job action in a bid to cause civil unrest. Opposition political parties and like-minded regime change agents are in sixes and sevens, pondering their next move in the absence of a strike by civil servants.

Statistical Summary of the July 6 2016 stayaway as at 1200hrs

Government’s Statistical Summary of the July 6 stayaway, a document at hand, shows only 8,3 percent of teachers reported for duty in Harare. At least 14,2 percent of shops were open, and 10 percent of public transport vehicles were on the road in the province on July 6. However, 86,6 percent of banks were open, and 40 percent of staff at hospitals reported for duty.

In Bulawayo, while only 2,6 percent of public transport vehicles were operating, 92 percent of teachers and 88 percent of health workers still managed to report for duty. Up to 14,4 percent of shops and 61,5 of banks opened their doors to members of the public.

It was business as usual in other provinces where hospital staff reported for duty – Manicaland 100 percent, Masvingo 97, Mashonaland West 92,9, Matabeleland North 92,3, Mashonaland East 90, Matabeleland South 86,7, Mashonaland Central 71 and Midlands 67,5.

In schools, 97 percent of teachers reported for duty in Mashonaland Central while other provinces recorded as follows: Manicaland 95,8, Midlands 95, Masvingo 91, Mash East 81,1, Mat South 54,2, Mash West 50,9 and Mat North 41,3.

Almost all banks opened in Mash Central and Matabeleland North, with the national total for banks which were open standing at 86,82 percent. Most shops in the country’s provinces -excluding Harare and Bulawayo – were open, with 70,4 percent doing business on July 6.

On July 7, a 20 percent turn-up was recorded in hospitals in Bulawayo and Harare while the rest of the country had between 80 to 100 percent of health workers reporting to work.

A 95 percent turnout of teachers was recorded nationally with the lowest figures recorded in Mat North and South (85 percent), and Bulawayo and Harare (90 percent).

Shadowy groups cunningly scheduled their stayaway/shutdown call to coincide with a strike action by civil servants protesting a delay in the payment of their June salaries.

Civil servants’ representatives, who began a two-day job action on Tuesday over salary delays, distanced themselves from protests, urging their members not to take part in the violent protests.

The huge turnout of teachers on July 7 when Government met salary obligations was testimony to the fact that the job action had nothing to do with politics. Doctors and nurses also reported for duty en masse after Government assured them that they would be paid on July 8 and not July 14 as initially advised.

Zimbabweans across the country largely ignored calls for a stayaway instigated by regime change agents on social media.

Mawarire was yesterday quoted in The Standard claiming to have survived an attempt to abduct him on Friday night. He has vowed to lead another “shutdown” this week.

United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Harry Thomas and his French counterpart, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse, are accused of having a hand in last week’s disturbances in Harare and Bulawayo. According to Government, the two were using social media to fuel civil disobedience and ultimately destabilise Zimbabwe.

A group led by former MDC-T youth leader Promise Mkhwananzi – Tajamuka/Sesijikile – has been calling for civil disturbances through social media.
Activity Byo Hre Manica Mash C Mash E Mash W Masvingo Mat N Mat S Midlands National AveTeachers928.395.89781.150.99141.354.29570.66Banks61.586.691.710093.873.998.610073.388.886.82 Hospitals8840100719092.997.192.386.767.582.55Shops14.414.2749592.27089.997.358.398.870.4Transport2.61077.998.359.431708048.39056.75 Ave.per prov51.7031.8287.8892.383.363.789.482.263.28873.44