Source: Belshazzar’s feast – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 5th November 2016
The meeting between Mugabe and Zuma in Harare on Thursday was a surreal encounter between the doomed and the damned.
‘His Excellency President Zuma brings with him a cloud of hope and integrity’ gushed Zanu PF, adding that Zuma was walking in Mugabe’s footsteps. They ignored the dark cloud of hopelessness in South Africa over the rampant corruption which has damned his presidency. And as far as ‘integrity’ goes, the Vigil supposes that Zanu PF must have its own definition of this word. Just ask Jonathan Moyo, who didn’t even bother to go to court on Friday to answer for his defrauding of state funds – even though he had given an undertaking to be there.
As for the doomed Mugabe, he is already booked in next month for more monkey gland injections in Singapore. In the meantime, state television was banned from showing him tottering to the lectern at the Zuma meeting.
The Daily News quotes Zanu PF insiders as saying it could be ‘mene, mene, tekel and parsim’ time for Mugabe (the words appearing on the wall during Belshazzar’s feast). They were interpreted by the Prophet Daniel to mean ‘God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end . . .’
Angry South Africans must hope that Zanu PF is right that Zuma really is ‘walking in Mugabe’s footsteps’ and that his banquet too is about to end.
In any event, few South Africans are likely to take up Zanu PF’s invitation to abandon their university courses to get a ‘decolonised’ education in Zimbabwe, even if they were offered a three-month doctorate such as Dr Grace’s.
Other points
- The Zimbabwe Action Forum after the Vigil agreed to stage a demonstration outside the Embassy from 12 noon – 2 pm on Friday 18th November in solidarity with protests against bond notes planned to take place in Zimbabwe on that day.
- The Forum also agreed to run a petition at the Vigil from next week protesting to the British government at the refusal of visas to several prominent Zimbabwean activists who had to cancel planned visits to speak in the UK. Kate Hoey MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe, has suggested we should get supporters to write to their MPs about this matter. A template letter will be prepared.
- It was decided that a Prayer Vigil for Zimbabwe will be held on the last Saturday of every month in support of prayer meetings in Zimbabwe. Bev Mutandiro our ‘face of prayer’, suggested that people should ask their pastors to get in touch with her (07412053415). Bev shared James 1:25 with the Vigil: ‘But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.’
- Sally Mutseyami has spare bus tickets for those travelling in the Midlands region. Contact her on 07448730581.
- Thanks to those who arrived early to help set up: Rashiwe Bayisayi, Yvonne Bonde, Benjamin Chigamba, Abel Chikanya, Flemming Diza, Percy Dube, Daizy Fabian, Etines Kapiya, Jean Kawara, Fungayi Mabhunu, Honest Madondo, Emmanuel Magarira, Phillip Mahlahla, Cephas Maswoswa, Gladys Meck, Sharon Moyo, Eletha Mpofu, Eunice Mucherechedzo, Mukudzei Muku, Roseline Mukucha, Alfredy Mukuvare, Edward Murota, Simbarashe Mutero, Mduduzi Ndlovu, Jennipher Sabe, Maxmus Savanhu, Douglas Tavengwa, Maureen Tavengwa and Portiah Tobaiwa. Thanks to Roseline, Sharon and Gladys for looking after the front table, to Maureen and Nancy for handing out flyers and selling ‘Mugabe must go / has gone’ wristbands and to Phillip, Alfredy, Maxmus, Honest, Douglas, Percy, Mduduzi and Benjamin for putting up the banners.
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: 78 signed the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
- Monthly Itai Dzamara protest Saturday 12th November. From 2 – 6 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy. The protest is to mark twenty months since Dzamara’s abduction by intelligence agents.
- Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 12th November from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
- Bond note protest. Friday 18th November from 12 noon – 2 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy. This protest is supporting a bond note demonstration in Zimbabwe.
- ROHR National Executive meeting. Saturday 19th November from 11 am. Venue: Royal Festival Hall. Exact location to be advised.
- 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.
- Monthly Prayer Vigil. Saturday 26th November outside the Zimbabwe Embassy.
- 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.
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