WATCH: Bulawayo remains calm as residents ignore illegal protest calls

Sikhumbuzo Moyo
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BULAWAYO remained calm on Friday as residents ignored calls by shadowy groups to participate in an illegal protest, with businesses opening on time, public transport operating normally and workers reporting for duty.

A morning tour of the central business district showed supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, fuel service stations and informal traders conducting business as usual, while commuter omnibuses operated their normal routes, ferrying passengers to and from the city centre.

Traffic flowed steadily along major roads, including Leopold Takawira Avenue, Robert Mugabe Way and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street, while schools also opened for lessons as scheduled.

Most businesses opened at their usual time, with shoppers and workers going about their daily routines without disruption.

Mr Brighton Ncube, who operates a grocery shop in the city centre, said residents had chosen to focus on their livelihoods.

“We opened our shop at the normal time and customers have been coming in as they always do. People want to work and earn a living. There is no sign of the disruption that some people had been calling for,” he said.

A commuter omnibus driver, Mr Sipho Dube, said the transport sector was operating normally.

“We have been operating from early this morning and passengers are travelling as usual. There is nothing out of the ordinary. People are going to work and others are doing their shopping,” he said.

Ms Nomsa Moyo, who was shopping in the city centre, said many residents were focused on their daily responsibilities.

“We have families to feed and businesses to run. Our priority is to work and support our families. Today has been just like any other normal day,” she said.

A vendor operating along Fifth Avenue said missing a day’s trading would directly affect her income.

“We depend on daily sales to survive. Staying at home would mean losing income, so we came to work as usual,” she said.

The peaceful atmosphere reflected normal economic activity across the city, with businesses, schools and transport services continuing to operate throughout the morning.