2016–2017 Zimbabwe protests
The 2016–2017 Zimbabwe protests began in Zimbabwe on 6 July 2016. Thousands of Zimbabweans protested government repression, poor public services, high unemployment, widespread corruption and delays in civil servants receiving their salaries. A national strike, named "stay-away day," began on 6 July and subsequent protests took place across the country and diaspora.
| 2016 Zimbabwe protests | |||
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Zimbabweans protesting in Cape Town, South Africa in support of the 2016 Zimbabwe protests taking place in Zimbabwe at the time. | |||
| Date | 6 July 2016 – 21 November 2017 | ||
| Location | Zimbabwe; cities across South Africa, England, United States, Australia, Canada | ||
| Caused by | Corruption, hunger, late payment of civil servants' salaries, economic repression, police brutality | ||
| Goals | Firing corrupt ministers, the removal of police checkpoints, paying civil servants on time, stopping the introduction of bond notes, regime change, release of arrested activists, stopping police brutality | ||
| Methods | Civil resistance, demonstrations, protest marches, rioting, picketing | ||
| Resulted in | Robert Mugabe resigns as President of Zimbabwe following the military takeover of the country | ||
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The Zimbabwean government blamed Western governments for the protests and were accused of blocking social media such as WhatsApp from 9 am until 11 am on 6 July 2016 to prevent people from gathering to protest.
On 18 November 2017, anti-Mugabe solidarity protests were held in Zimbabwe and other countries, following the military takeover of the country on 15 November. On 21 November, Robert Mugabe sent a letter to Zimbabwe's Parliament resigning the presidency.