Parallel Universe – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 16th July 2016

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/28074499710/sizes/l

The Zimbabwean diaspora was interested to hear from Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo that we are being used by Western countries to promote alarm, despondency and unrest in the motherland where all is ‘calm and peaceful’.

The Herald says Chombo’s remarks came in the wake of the Vigil’s demonstration at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London against the money-raising visit by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa which ended in humiliation for the Minister.

The Herald quotes Chombo as saying ’so-called asylum seekers should be working for nation building rather than fomenting hate messages against the government’ (see: http://www.herald.co.zw/chombo-blasts-unpatriotic-diasporans/).

Chombo is cushioned by his vast wealth (see: http://www.pindula.co.zw/Ignatius_Chombo). He seems to be living in a parallel universe inhabited only by the Mugabe mafia. They appear to be too far gone to see that it is the state that they have created that promotes ‘alarm, despondency and unrest’ – a state that can charge a pastor with treason for wearing the Zimbabwe flag and working for nation building without hate.

Zimbabwean exiles were protesting outside the Embassy in London on Wednesday when we saw pictures of the crowds of lawyers who had turned up in court to offer their services free to Pastor Evan Mawarire. We were encouraged to read the reflections of Pastor Scott Marques who was among the many who gathered to support Pastor Evan (see: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/806-reflections-on-pastor-mawarires-court-case–wednesday-13th-july-2016).

Whatever the delusions of the dying regime, the bottom line is that it has run out of money. Once again the army has been told that they cannot be paid on time. Eddie Cross, the MDC-T MP, says the crunch appears to be imminent.  ‘The regime has its back to the wall in Harare and I see no way out . . . The regime has falsified the financial position of the state and the IMF talks have collapsed leaving the regime in Harare totally reliant on the international community for emergency support.’ (http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/07/the-economic-and-political-crisis-in-zimbabwe/). The Vigil believes this support must only come when the corrupt Mugabe regime steps down and allows real change.

Other points

• A meeting of the Zimbabwe Action Forum after the Vigil attended by about 40 people agreed that Zanu PF could not be entrusted with any foreign loans, which instead should go to a transitional authority. The meeting discussed a planned all-stakeholders’ conference to discuss the way forward, including calling on the UN to assist in establishing a transitional authority and supervising elections for a new government.
• Women at the Vigil ‘beat the pot’ in solidarity with women back home. See: http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-30239-Byo+Hundreds+at+Khupe%E2%80%99s+pot+protest/news.aspx for MDC T ‘beat the pot’ protest in Bulawayo.
• For ROHR in Zimbabwe’s statement on the current civil action see: http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/statement-rohr-zimbabwe-14th-july-2016/ and for photos of ROHR activists outside Evan Mawarire’s court case see: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72157668163195673.
• For reports on the two weekday demonstrations in support of Pastor Mawarire’s ‘Shutdown Zimbabwe’ campaign, see: http://zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/press-releases/804-enough-is-enough-media-release-from-the-zimbabwe-vigil–wednesday-13th-july-2016 and http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/805-standing-still-is-suicide-zimbabwe-vigil-protest-thursday-14th-july-2016.
• Thanks to those who came early to help set up: Mercy Bayipayi, Rashiwe Bayisayi, Mavis Chisvo, Sibongile Gumbo, Isabell Gwatidzo, Etines Kapiya, Fungayi Mabhunu, Phillip Mahlahla, Nancy Makurira, Rosemary Maponga, Cephas Maswoswa, Tarisai Matambanadzo, Edna Mdoka, Praisego Moyo, Eletha Mpofu, Eunice Mucherechedzo, Roseline Mukucha, Alfredy Mukuvare, Esther Munyira, Salani Mutseyami, Mduduzi Ndlovu, Sibusiso Ngwenya, Chipo Parirenyatwa, Eva Sanyahokwe, Michael Sirewu, Zenzo Siziba, Emmaculate Tshuma, Terence Utaumite and Elector Zvorwadza. Thanks to Roseline, Eunice and Tarisai for looking after the front table and to Phillip, Cephas, Mduduzi and Alfredy for putting up and taking down the banners. Thanks also to Elector Zvorwadza for contributing a hamper to the Reading fundraiser and to Chipo P for persuading sponsors to fund ROHR Leicester’s project to provide food aid for children in Hwange

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website. For videos of Vigils and other events, check the ROHR facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/www.rohrzimbabwe.org/videos?fref=photo.

FOR THE RECORD: 88 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• ROHR Leicester branch meeting. Saturday 23rd July from 2 – 4 pm. Venue: the Salvation Army, Kildare Street, Leicester LE1 3FY. Directions: Opposite Peking Chinese Restaurant, City Centre. Contact: Enniah Dube 07403439707, Yvonne Makombe 07453909247 and Moline Nyabonda 07961250525.
• ROHR Middlesbrough branch general meeting. Saturday 23rd July from 1.30 – 5 pm. Venue: Student Centre, Clarendon Building, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BA. For more information please contact Ndumiso Ncube 07532080247, Xoliso Sithole 07455911728,Henrietta Mlilo 079313110024, Esther Munyira 07460861487 and Sharon Shoniwa 07534867127.
• Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 23rd July from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
• ROHR Reading branch summer national fundraiser. Saturday 30th July from 2 pm till late. Venue: Pakistani Community Hall, London Road, Reading RG1 3PA. Contact: Nicodimus Muganhu 07877386792, Charles Mararirakwenda 07964731721, Joshua Kahari 07877246251, Shylette Chipangura 07828929806, Deborah Harrry 07578894896, Sihle Sibanda 07985712749.
• Monthly Itai Dzamara protest. Saturday 6th August from 2 – 6 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London. The protest is to mark seventeen months since Dzamara’s abduction by intelligence agents.
• Vigil and ROHR Brighton to London Walk. Friday 12th August to Saturday 13th August. The theme of our fundraising walk is ‘Mourning the death of democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe’. The walk will end around 3 pm at the Vigil. If you wish to participate or sponsor the walkers contact info@zimrohr.org. More information to be provided as plans develop.
• ROHR Central London branch meeting. Saturday 20th August 2016 from 12 noon – 2 pm. Venue: The Theodore Bullfrog, 26-30 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HL.Contact: Fungayi Mabhunu 07907089899, Mavis Chisvo 07944612944.
• ROHR National Executive meeting. Saturday 3rd September from 12 noon. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. For directions see below.
• 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 September from 6.15 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 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 a shop. 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.
• Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.
• Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2015 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/746-zimbabwe-vigil-highlights-2015. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2015 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/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights-301811392835.