Protest Flyers Appear Across Bulawayo as Calls for July 31 Action Intensify

By Southerton Business Times | Bulawayo

Commuters in Bulawayo were greeted by protest flyers plastered across parts of the city on Monday morning, in what appears to be the latest sign of growing political mobilisation ahead of planned demonstrations on 31 July.

The flyers, which appeared overnight, were spotted in several locations, including Five Avenue, bus termini and around the Joshua Nkomo statue in the city centre. The leaflets, whose authors were not identified, called on "progressives" to unite and "fight Zanu PF head on", while outlining demands focused on economic conditions, public services and constitutional governance. Among the issues raised were calls for job creation, fair wages, quality healthcare, affordable education, and greater institutional independence.

The flyers also called for the full separation of the judiciary, Parliament and the Executive, arguing that stronger institutional independence is necessary to enhance constitutional governance. A prominent message on the leaflets read: "CAB 3 IS NOT A DONE DEAL!!!", referring to the recently enacted Constitutional Amendment Act No. 6 of 2026, commonly known during its legislative process as Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3).

The constitutional changes have attracted criticism from some opposition politicians, civil society organisations and legal commentators, while the Government has defended the amendments as lawful reforms adopted through constitutional parliamentary procedures.

The flyers warned that if the listed demands were not addressed, "radical actions" would follow, although they did not specify what those actions would entail.

By mid-morning, commuters, vendors, students and office workers were seen reading the flyers, with small groups gathering near the Joshua Nkomo statue and other locations to discuss their contents.

The incident comes amid heightened political activity ahead of calls by some activists and civic groups for nationwide demonstrations and stay-aways later this month. Authorities have previously warned that while Zimbabwe's Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and expression, any unlawful acts, violence or public disorder would be dealt with in accordance with the law. Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe recently said security services were prepared to maintain public order during the planned July 31 protests, stressing that grievances should be pursued through constitutional and legal channels.

As of Monday afternoon, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had not issued a statement regarding the appearance of the flyers, and there were no confirmed reports of arrests linked to their distribution. It also remains unclear which organisation or individuals were responsible for producing and circulating the material. Southerton Business Times could not independently verify the origin of the flyers or the claims contained in them.

Bulawayo protest flyers