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Mugabe faces growing social media activism

By , Journalist
Zimbabwe , 03 May 2017

Mugabe faces growing social media activism

Organisers of the #Thisflag and #Tajamuka social media campaigns have confirmed that they will not form a political party, but will collectively lobby government for social and economic reform.

The campaigns galvanised support through platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, and organised protests last year in Harare against what they claimed to be President Robert Mugabe's government's failure to run the country and effectively address a worsening economic crisis.

Leaders of social media groups including Pastor Evan Mawarire and Promise Mkwananzi have vowed further protest action.

"We have united as citizens and social media movements to chart the way forward and push for social, political and economic reforms. But we are not forming a political party," said Mukwananzi, who heads up #Tajamuka.

"The government is still refusing to hear us a year after we staged demonstrations last year and we are now standing together to say enough is enough. There is no investment and bond notes have failed to work," Mawarire said on Tuesday.

This comes as Zimbabwe readies for elections next year and authorities continue to draft legislation in a bid to control social media activism.

An example is the new cyber and computer crimes bill that will compel ISPs to help identify those responsible for generating what authorities define as cybercrime.

The Bill is not yet finalised and is yet to be debated in parliament according to ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira.

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