Zimbabwe Government to Shut Down Internet Ahead of March 31 Protests to Oust Mnangagwa Over Corruption Scandal
Harare, Zimbabwe – March 24, 2025, 09:38 AM CDT
In a dramatic escalation of tensions, sources within Zimbabwe’s government have revealed plans to impose a nationwide internet blackout ahead of the highly anticipated March 31 demonstrations aimed at forcing President Emmerson Mnangagwa out of power. The protests, fueled by widespread outrage over rampant corruption and economic collapse, have sent shockwaves through the nation—and the government is pulling out all the stops to silence the uprising before it begins.
Insiders, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal, claim that Mnangagwa’s administration has ordered telecom giants like Econet Wireless and NetOne to prepare for a total shutdown of internet services starting midnight on March 30. The move echoes a chilling precedent set in 2019, when the government crippled online communication to suppress protests over fuel price hikes—an action later ruled illegal by Zimbabwe’s own courts. Yet, with the stakes higher than ever, it seems Mnangagwa is willing to risk international condemnation to cling to power.
The March 31 demonstrations, dubbed “The People’s Reckoning” by organizers, have gained explosive momentum online, with hashtags like #MnangagwaMustFall and #ZimCorruption trending across social platforms. Citizens are rallying around accusations that Mnangagwa and his inner circle have siphoned billions from the country’s gold and diamond industries, leaving Zimbabweans grappling with hyperinflation, unemployment, and a crumbling healthcare system. “He’s turned our nation into his personal piggy bank while we starve!” shouted one protester in a viral video circulating this week.
Blessed Geza, a former ZANU-PF insider turned outspoken critic, has emerged as the face of the movement, calling for Mnangagwa’s immediate resignation from an undisclosed location. “The corruption stops now, or the people will stop it for him,” Geza declared in a fiery podcast that has racked up millions of views. His words have lit a fuse under a population exhausted by decades of mismanagement, first under Robert Mugabe and now Mnangagwa.
But the government isn’t backing down. Information Minister Jenfan Muswere dismissed the protests as “treasonous delusions” orchestrated by “foreign puppets” during a press conference yesterday. “No demonstration will disrupt Zimbabwe’s peace,” he vowed, hinting at a heavy-handed response. Analysts warn that an internet shutdown would not only block protest coordination but also conceal potential crackdowns from the world’s eyes—a tactic Mnangagwa’s regime has mastered.
“This is a desperate move by a desperate man,” said Harare-based political analyst Tinashe Moyo. “Shutting down the internet won’t kill the anger—it’ll only make it burn hotter. The people are done being silenced.”
The international community is already sounding the alarm. Amnesty International condemned the rumored shutdown, calling it “a blatant assault on free expression.” The U.S. State Department, which sanctioned Mnangagwa and his wife Auxillia last year for corruption, urged restraint, warning that “the world is watching.”
Zimbabweans, meanwhile, are bracing for a digital blackout. VPNs are flying off virtual shelves as tech-savvy citizens prepare to circumvent restrictions, and WhatsApp groups are buzzing with contingency plans. “They can cut the internet, but they can’t cut our voices,” said a young activist in Bulawayo, who asked to remain anonymous. “March 31 is happening, with or without Wi-Fi.”
As the clock ticks down to what could be a defining moment in Zimbabwe’s history, one thing is clear: Mnangagwa’s gamble to choke the digital lifeline might just ignite the very revolution he’s trying to crush. Share this story—because if the internet goes dark, the truth will need every voice it can get.
