via Mugabe’s same old song – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 26th September 2015 Sunday, 27 September 2015
For the second time in a few weeks Mugabe has delivered an old speech. Despite the ridicule over his repeating of last month’s State of the Nation Address at this month’s Opening of Parliament, he has again been recycling his clapped-out ideas – this time at the United Nations.
Speaking after the launch of a new UN development programme, the 91-year-old complained that Zimbabwe lacks resources to implement the programme because of sanctions imposed by Western countries. Freed of the ‘fetters of sanctions’ Zimbabwe will stand a better chance of implementing the goals, he said.
The tired sanctions refrain continues to resonate with the determinedly ill-informed and Mugabe has seen no need to update his formulaic excuse for failure, even though the European Union has long since suspended financial restrictions and the only other Western targeted measures are in place because of Zanu PF’s failure to repay its massive debts.
But singing the same song on his never-ending perambulations comes at a heavy price for the Zimbabwean economy – not only the vast expense of his parasitic entourage but in the governmental paralysis he leaves at home.
The Vigil experienced something of this during the week when we staged two demonstrations against a Zanu PF mission seeking to raise money from international investors and the diaspora. For details of the demos (see: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/718-london-anti-zanu-pf-demo-22nd-september-2015- and http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/719-minister-flees-london-demo–23rd-september-2015-). Industry and Trade Minister Mike Bimha, leader of the delegation, complained of ‘perceived’ country risk putting off potential investors. The Vigil says to him: ‘Come off it. Perceived? Remove the risk by restoring the rule of law and scrapping the ridiculous indigenisation law (see: http://www.newzimbabwe.com/business-25046-UK+Bimha+says+Zim+ready+for+investors/business.aspx).
Response to Tuesday demo
Emails
· I hope you guys appreciate how much your activity is appreciated here by everyone.
· Well done. We are proud of you and your commitment to freedom and democracy in Zimbabwe.
· I am concerned that the firm in which I am a partner may have allowed itself to be involved in attracting investment in a regime in which it ought not. I profess no sophisticated understanding of the situation in Zimbabwe other than what I hear from friends in Zimbabwe and, of course, the media reporting but I was deeply moved (as were others) by the dignity and imagination of your protest outside our building and would like to understand better and to hear more from you. If you should be so kind as to contact me I should be very interested to hear what I might do to help.
Comment on Tuesday demo
Harper: September 24, 2015 at 6:55 am. Any person or company contemplating investing in Zimbabwe should begin their due diligence by studying the fate of Aberfoil Holdings and Guthrie Masimba Holdings Ltd.
Comments on Wednesday Demo
Spiralx: September 24, 2015 at 12:20 pm. Well done to all of you. Zimbabwe – the true Zimbabwe – salutes you.
J: September 24, 2015 at 2:36 pm. ALL the leaderless folks back home salute you for your courage and patriotism Never mind all the hard work!! WELL DONE!!
Simply Simon: September 24, 2015 at 3:08 pm. The minister ran from 16 protestors , , , shame on him!!
Email from ‘Sidney Shore’ on 25/9/14: All black indigenous people of Zimbabwe love Mugabe please stop circulating these worthless flyers. We know that you are not happy about us taking the land your ancestors stole. Still it is no reason to entice the weaker and foolish ones amongst us to do your bidding. The state of our economy is in shambles only because of sanctions imposed by imf. Not our honourable president. However we will fix this mess ourselves we do not want your help or your advice. Black people all over the world are waking up to the fact that white people are devil’s and there is no reasoning with them. I speak on behalf of my nation zimvigil is created and run by colonialists who do not care about us.stop being sheep and wake up. Do not support these reptiles.
Other points
· Strangely enough, at the Vigil’s demonstrations during the week there was no sign of the disruptive elements who have been plaguing the Vigil recently. But they were back again today – this time with a loudhailer, led by David Kadzutu, Peter Sidindi and Mary Muteyerwa. The Vigil has tried to reason with them in the past but their goal is clearly to undermine us. The CIO seems to have a lot of money to finance this type of destabilisation, apart from the rich pickings from gullible asylum seekers seeking support from bogus representatives. The group has made unfounded accusations against us on social media which we no longer respond to. Today we called the police who moved them on. The Vigil is writing to the Home Office to revoke any letter we may have written in support of the asylum cases of the people associated with this group because they do not seem to support our aims as spelt out in our mission statement.
· Two more ROHR provincial structures have been launched in Zimbabwe: Mashonaland East (for report, see: http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/launch-rohr-mashonaland-east-province-26th-september-2015/) and Mashonaland Central (for report, see: http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/launch-rohr-mashonaland-central-province-27th-september-2015/).
· Thanks to those who arrived early to help set up: Esther Nyambi, Patricia Masamba, Fungisai Mupandira, Pearl Shambare, Livert Zhuwao, Humphrey Dube, Casper Nyamakura, Nomsa Mpofu, Walter Shoko, Henry Maposa, Michael Tinarwo, Ephraim Tapa and Fungayi Mabhunu.
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.
FOR THE RECORD: 32 signed the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
· ROHR Executive meeting. Saturday 3rd October from 12 noon. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. See below for directions.
· The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.
· Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF). Saturday 3rd October from 6.15 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. From the Vigil it’s about a ten minute walk, in the direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo Bridge. The entrance is marked by a sign at street level. It’s between a newsagent and an optician. Nearest underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn.
· Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF) meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy.
· Next Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 3rd October from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
· Zimbabwe Vigil’s 13th Anniversary and monthly Itai Dzamara protest. Saturday 10th October from 2 – 6 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London. The protest is to mark seven months since Dzamara’s abduction by intelligence agents.
· Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds monthly meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.
· Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2014 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/642-zimbabwe-vigil-highlights-2014. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2014 Highlights page.
· Facebook pages:
Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515
ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights/301811392835
· SW Radio Africa’s website and sound archive is being hosted on www.archive.org. Go to the site and type in swradioafrica which will link you to snapshots of their site over the years and at the top of that page a link to their website where, under podcasts, you will find the audio.
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