Media Notice from the Zimbabwe Vigil – 22nd October 2013

‘Restore Zimbabwe’ Conference – 24^th October 

Exiled Zimbabweans are to meet in London on Thursday 24^th October to discuss the way forward following the return of 89- year-old Robert Mugabe to power in elections on 31^st July.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says the elections were massively rigged. The West has refused to accept the outcome as legitimate although it has been endorsed by other African countries.

The ‘Restore Zimbabwe’ Conference will be addressed by Kate Hoey MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe. Other speakers will be political analyst Wilbert Mukori and Taurayi Chomboko, an unsuccessful candidate for the elections. Dewa Mavhinga of Human Rights Watch, Pastor Charles Chipere and Betty Makoni, founder of Girl Child Network, are other key speakers.

The conference will be chaired by Ephraim Tapa, a founder member of the Zimbabwe Vigil, which has organised the meeting. The Vigil has been demonstrating outside Zimbabwe House in London every Saturday for the past eleven years in support of free and fair elections. Mr Tapa is also Chair of the organisation Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement.

He said: ‘Following the fraudulent elections, we were approached by a number of groups and individuals about the need for the Zimbabwean diaspora to meet together to discuss how we can help resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. The purpose of the meeting is to agree a common platform and strategy for diaspora action.’ 

Date:                        Thursday, 24^th October 2013

Starts:                      9 am registration for 10 am start. Ends 4.30 pm

Venue:                     Theatre, Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London E2 6HG

Nearest Station:       Bethnal Green (Central line)

Contacts:                 Ephraim Tapa 07940 793 090, Fungayi Mabhunu 07907 089 899, Rose Benton 07970 996 003, 07932 193 467.

Zimbabwe 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://www.zimvigil.co.uk