via Mugabe’s delegation turns chicken – 28th January 2014 by Zimbabwe Vigil
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Mugabe’s delegation turns chicken – 28th January 2014
Mugabe’s broiler chickens scampered off clucking in alarm as the Zimbabwe Vigil pursued them into the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London on Tuesday.
The Zimbabwe business delegation arrived in a black Mercedes people carrier but when they saw the Vigil protest outside the Chatham House think tank they hastily made for a side entrance, losing a few feathers in the flurry.
Why broiler chickens? The former Finance Minister Tendai Biti said last week: ‘The biggest problem with Zanu PF is that they don’t understand money and the economy. They are functionally illiterate. They think that money grows on trees. People just believe in spending, spending, spending. It’s like a broiler chicken. The broiler just eats. It doesn’t know why it’s eating. It eats itself to death. It’s consumption for the sake of consumption. It’s oblivious of where the food is coming from. It just eats 24 hours a day. So they have got a broiler chicken syndrome, they are oblivious.’
The Vigil objected to Chatham House giving a platform to a Zanu PF-backed delegation of business leaders within six months of the stolen elections. The delegation was led by Charles Msipa, President of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. Mr Msipa is said to be a member of a secret business committee of Zanu PF for which he mobilises funds. He played a big role in the farm invasions and is a close ally of former Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, the looter in chief of state diamonds . . . He is the Managing Director of Schweppes Zimbabwe which was seized from an exiled businessman.
The delegation is touring Europe appealing for international investment for bankrupt Zimbabwe and the removal of targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies. We at the Vigil are warning that investors should beware of Zimbabwe’s indigenization policy under which firms have to hand over 51% of their shares to Zanu PF people. We reminded investors that Transparency International rates Zimbabwe as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Mugabe himself, in the form of Fungayi Mabhunu in our Mugabe mask, paraded outside Chatham House with a poster reading: ‘Indigenisation: give me 51%’. Another poster displayed broiler chickens with the caption: ‘Zanu PF broiler chicken delegation’ while the eighteen and a half demonstrators (including a 5 year old) displayed our banner ‘No to Mugabe, No to Starvation’. The Vigil protest ended with an angry Cephas Moswoswa denouncing Chatham House for harbouring people who had raped our wives and sisters.
Thanks to following who came. In addition to Cephas and Fungayi there were: Charles Dumisani Ndlovu, Clifford Mashiri, David Kadzutu, Dennis Benton, Helen Rukambiro, Ishmael Makina, Mary Muteyerwa, Michelle Dube, Patricia Masamba, Patrick Chatukuta, Raphael Ozkan, Rose Benton, Rosemary Maponga, Shylette Chipangura, Sithobekile Mlilo, Tendai Gwendoline Matemura, Wellington Mukucha.
Vigil co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http:/hgh/www.zimvigil.co.uk.
COMMENTS
SAW YOU! WAS THERE, TOO!
At least some people are using the democratic environment to express themselves and justify why they are living in a foreign land while they have a beautiful country. Well done to you. Zimbabweans living abroad are the ones to carry the message and indeed the struggle. It is difficult even to point out at an obvious socio-economic problem let alone a demonstration against the social ils that Zanupf has imposed on Zimbabweans in the country. At least some basic democratic conditions must exist that people can use to group and mobilise. Just like in Cuba and North Korea it is impossible to peacefully mobilize in Zimbabwe without being arrested, tortured and even murdered. One has to look at the how many times and WOZA members have been arrested sometimes even in possession of the police permission.
One of these guys on Mugabe’s delegation is a jailbird. He was in prison for a criminal offence and how can he be on an investment delegation. He is a criminal, criminal, criminal, criminal of criminals zimbabeans. Hear me.
Please tell us his name.
@Bazur/ Revenger -These Vigil people will never drive us forward , they don’t love Zimbabweans dip there facing the situation , these sanctions have never brought any impact to Mugabe , but the impact is on the disadvantaged people on the grass roots , Mugabe and his people have got doors opened for them at the Asian side of the world , they don’t care , people who want to see Zimbabwe progressing they should have realised this , we are using the wrong tool to fight Mugabe , its like we are stabing ourselves , think about it guys . Lets support the idea of uplifting these sanctions , we can also find other tools to fight against Mugabe and his cronies , the tool which we had been using all along never worked for us .I am an MDC T member but i don’t support the sanctions , the impact of these sanctions is on top of us not to Mugabe .
The only sanctions are travel sanctions on a limited number of ZANU PF functionaries and they have sanctioned arms sales to Zimbabwe. How does that affect the poor? Zimbabwe’s poor are suffering because in the words of Tendai Biti ZANU PF do not understand economics finance and banking, all they know is how to spend. I would also add that they know how to steal, but what are they going to do when there is nothing left to steal and no money to spend? Only fools like you are fooled by ZANU PF.
One more time… READ the sanctions, what they are, to whom they apply, and THEN come back and explain how interrupting Grace’s shopping trips for more shoes has caused the downfall of the Zim economy. Until you speak factually, you’re no more than a cowbell in the wind… and looking quite foolish.
Schweppes is owned by Coca cola and Delta and Charles has worked for Coca Cola for over 2 and a half decades. Involved in farm invasions? Please!! You do not know this guy, he most likely sympathizes more with your worthless cause than you think. Clifford Mashiri I thought you were studying for your second doctorate and writing your books? What are you doing hanging out with these zimbabwean desperadoes? Very clever you are!!
rubbish, sanctions make no difference to us, if the asian doors are open why is there no investment…mugabe etc want to unlock their bank accounts and gloat to the world..
@Mnzwa , you need to wakeup , these sanctions are not affecting Mugabe but you as a POVO , are you like a dead man who doesn’t have fear , shake up your brains a little bit .
(sigh). This is getting old….
ONE MORE TIME… READ the sanctions, what they are, to whom they apply, and THEN come back and explain how interrupting Grace’s shopping trips for more shoes has caused the downfall of the Zim economy. Until you speak factually, you’re no more than a cowbell in the wind… and looking quite foolish.
lmfao u r a patient man
Khaya, on the sanctions issue you have got it wrong i am afraid. There are no sanctions imposed on the People of Zimbabwe…maybe you can explain these so called sanctions on the Povo. I know of targetted sanctions on the ZPF elite and organizations used by the elite to try and avoid the sanctions. Please dont be fooled. Who is providing assistance like food, drugs, education etc…It is the West for your own info. UK, US and the EU provide the bulk of assistance to Zimbabwe. Can u explain which sanctions you are on about! Is China there to assist? they come to take and never to help…Arms are what u get from them.
I used to be able to find good information from your articles.