Thousands take to the streets in Zimbabwe in massive anti-Mugabe protests

The nonagenarian has ruled the South African country with an iron fist for 28 years and it seems the people want him gone. Thousands took to the street in the capital Harare demanding he step down in a protest organised by main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. Estimates put the crowd at between 2000 and 10000 protesters.

Speaking before the crowd, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai made clear that the protesters were not calling for revolution, but merely fair elections. “We are not demanding an overthrow of the government… We are demanding a dignified exit for the tired Mugabe,” Tsvangirai said, adding, “It’s time Mugabe listens to the voice of the people. The people shall liberate themselves.”

Tsvangirai ran against Mugabe in 2002, 2008, 2013. In what can only be described as a bastardisation of the democratic process, he got more votes than Mugabe in 2008 but “not enough to win,” according to the Mugabe government’s electoral oversight officials.

The protest suffered a hitch when organisers were initially denied the licence to match but the nation’s high court gave the go-ahead.