Diaspora No to Mugabe – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 4th April 2015

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via Diaspora No to Mugabe – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 4th April 2015 05 April 2015

If further evidence was needed that Mugabe is crazy it came with his appeal to the diaspora to give him more money – presumably for his non-stop travels in search of eternal life.

 

Whatever Zanu PF in the UK says, no sane Zimbabwean here would dream of putting their money anywhere within Zanu PF’s grasp. The party’s UK spokesperson says Zimbabwe is a ‘victim’ of a vicious depression as well of course as ‘illegal’ sanctions but he happily proclaims that ‘the economic renaissance (is) already in motion’ (see: Zimbabwe Herald article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201504040103.html – Zimbabwe: Zim-Diaspora Policy Needed As Soon As Yesterday).

 

We don’t see any sign of an economic renaissance in Zimbabwe. Sure the UK diaspora supports our families at home – otherwise they would starve, die of preventable diseases or drop out of school. But Mugabe’s deluded hope of financial help from the diaspora only shows how out of touch he is with reality. Zimbabwe is a basket case and the diaspora doesn’t have any spare coins to toss in the begging bowls of crooks and con men.

 

Even genocidal maniac Mutasa (‘we only need 6 million people so long as they all support Zanu PF’) has now seen the light and tells the BBC he fears for his life.   ‘You see people disappearing . . . so will they spare my life or send a sniper to shoot at me?’ he asked, adding that the fighting in Zanu-PF was worse than the situation under former white minority leader Ian Smith. ‘The Smith regime was not as bad as the current regime – it’s really terrible,’ Mr Mutasa said (.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-32176164 – Zimbabwe ruling party expels Mugabe rival Joyce Mujuru  3 April 2015).

 

We at the Vigil ask who will invest in a country where a high profile human rights activist like Itai Dzamara can be ‘disappeared’ by the intelligence service? Or, for that matter, where the boss of the State Procurement Board – a plum rip-off job – owes more than a million dollars in unpaid tax on his earnings – let alone his bribes! The brazen Charles Kuwaza sees no need to pay taxes because ‘my contract is with the President’ (see: SPB boss racks up $1m tax arrears – https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_w_spb-boss-racks-up-1m-tax-arrears-the-herald/).

 

We note that Zanu PF has expelled Joice Mujuru, describing her as ‘the Godmother of all the corruption, including that which has brought strategic parastatals like Air Zimbabwe, ZBC, NRZ, IDC and GMB to their knees’. (What about Mr Kuwaza’s SPB?) Apart from engaging in witchcraft and sorcery in her attempts to render the President unfit to govern, Mujuru is apparently the leader of fifth columnists. We wonder if they are talking about the fifth-rate columnists on the Herald? (See: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zanu-pf-expels-joice-mujuru%e2%80%a2-slew-allegations-cited-%e2%80%a2-plots-traced-far-back-2004/ – Zanu-PF expels Joice Mujuru – Slew of allegations cited – Plots traced as far back as 2004).

 

A meeting of the Zimbabwe Action Forum after the Vigil decided to ask for police permission to present a petition to the Zimbabwe Embassy at 11 am on Friday 17th April 2015 – the day before Zimbabwe Independence Day. The petition will focus on the abduction of Itai Dzamara. The protest follows a series of approaches to the Embassy by concerned Zimbabweans hoping to present a letter asking for an explanation of the abduction. In the latest protest, on Tuesday 31st March, Martin Chinyanga of Diaspora Feels It was taken into police custody for some hours and told not to approach within a yard of the Embassy after a complaint to the police by the Zimbabwean Ambassador.

 

Others taking part in the Tuesday protest were: Mary Muteyerwa, David Kadzutu, Noobukhosi Moyo, Hilda Gwesele, Tafadzwa Mushakwe, Enniah Dube, Rhoda Majoni, Mavis Chisvo, Linton Magume, Clever Manjoro, Epiphania Phiri, Danny Kadiki, Arthur Molife and Tendai Dlamani.

 

We are preparing a letter to the police detailing the concerns which prompt our approaches to the Embassy.

 

Other points

  • The Zimbabwe Association is holding an exhibition ‘12 Years: Zimbabwe Association Exhibition Launch’ on Tuesday 5th May from 6 – 8 pm. The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery and shares the oral histories of Zimbabwean asylum seekers’ experiences in the UK from 2001 to the present. This exhibition contains material from the Zimbabwe Association archive, an extensive collection of records of individual cases, legal documents, press cuttings, reports, correspondence, and TV and radio recordings. For more details of the event check ‘Events and Notices’.

  • For a short documentary by fellow journalists and activists on the abduction of Itai Dzamara check: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Pn3UKA5UY.

  • Tendai Kwari of Occupy Africa Unity Square UK advises us that one of our supporters, Epiphania Phiri, has raised £50 which she has sent to the Dzamara family. He thanks her for her dedicated work.

    Thanks to those who came early to help set up: Eunice Mucherechedzo, Charles Dhumisani Ndlovu, Danny Kadiki, Piyo Choga, David Kadzutu, Mary Muteyerwa, Bridget Mupotsa 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: 37 signed the register.

     

    EVENTS AND NOTICES:

  • ROHR Reading Branch general meeting and outreach. Saturday 11th April. Outreach from 11 am – 2 pm followed by a meeting from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: RISC 35-39 London Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4PS. For further enquiries contact: Eric Eluwasi – 07888310582, Nicodimus Muganhu – 07877386792 and Shylette Chipangura – 0782892980.

  • ROHR Central London branch meeting. Saturday 18th April 2015 from 12 noon – 2 pm. Venue The Theodore Bullfrog, 26-30 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HL.Contact: Chair: Fungayi Mabhunu 07907089899, Secretary: Brenda Chavhundura 07428227530, Organising Secretary: Mavis Chisvo 07944612944

  • 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 18th April 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 Pizza Express. 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 18th April from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.

  • Zimbabwe Yes We Can meeting. Saturday 25th April at 12 noon. Venue: The Theodore Bullfrog, 26-30 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HL.

  • Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds monthly meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.

  • ROHR Executive Meeting: Saturday 2nd May at 12 noon. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. For directions see above.

  • 12 Years: Zimbabwe Association Exhibition Launch. Tuesday 5th May from 6 – 8 pm. Venue: Oxford House in Bethnal Green, Derbyshire Street, London E2 6HG. The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery and shares the oral histories of Zimbabwean asylum seekers’ experiences in the UK from 2001 to the present. This exhibition contains material from the Zimbabwe Association archive, an extensive collection of records of individual cases, legal documents, press cuttings, reports, correspondence, and TV and radio recordings. To book: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/12-years-zimbabwe-association-exhibition-launch-tickets-16235246058?ref=enivtefor001&invite=NzczMTg2NS9jby1vcmRpbmF0b3JAemltdmlna
     WwuY28udWsvMA%3D%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=
     inviteformalv2&ref=enivtefor001&utm_term=attend

  • 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.

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