Source: Hypocrisy and self-delusion – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 22nd December 2018
Happy Christmas? After a seamless transition from Mugabe’s hypocrisy to Mnangagwa’s self-delusion, most people will have little to celebrate. Food, fuel, fares, medicines and school fees are a perpetual struggle thanks to an unreformed Zanu PF.
The government talks about Zimbabwe becoming a ‘middle income country’ ruled from a spanking new capital at Mount Hamden. (Probably served by bullet trains from Harare.) Hot air!
Zanu PF scoffs at the South African Constitutional Court declaring illegal the disbanding of the SADC Tribunal. And complains that the South African demand for Grace Mugabe to stand trial for assault is ‘harassment’. That sums up Zanu PF: complaining about assault by the privileged is harassment.
The commission investigating the army shootings after the election dismissed Zanu PF’s claim that the shots were fired by opposition supporters. The lies told by Mnangagwa and the army were exposed by the commission’s report. Nevertheless the government promotes the officer in charge.
As political commentator Alex Magaisa puts it: ‘You set up a commission to investigate violence. The commission categorically says the soldiers you command and deployed shot and killed civilians and injured 35. But not a single word of apology or acknowledgement to the victims, survivors, and relatives.’
So as inflation rises above 30% because of Zanu PF’s financial ineptitude and corruption, it appears there has been no change to Mugabe’s master plan to keep Zanu PF in power and Zimbabweans in slavery.
It may be futile for the diaspora to wish our family and friends in Zimbabwe a happy Christmas, but you can be sure that we will be thinking of you.
Other points
- Thanks to those who came early to help set up the table and put up the banners: Jonathan Kariwo, Philip Maponga, Rosemary Maponga, Patricia Masamba, Nyarai Masvosva, Bianca Mpawaenda and Fungisai Mupandira. Thanks to Bianca and Rosemary for looking after the front table, to Nyarai and Bianca for handing out flyers and to Fungasai for her energetic drumming.
- 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: 12 signed the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
- ROHR Central London branch meeting. Saturday 19th January from 11.30 am – 1.30 pm. Venue: Royal Festival Hall. Contact: Daizy Fabian 07708653640, Maxmus Savanhu 07397809056, Sipho Ndlovu 07400566013.
- 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.
- The Vigil’s book ‘Zimbabwe Emergency’ is based on our weekly diaries. It records how events in Zimbabwe have unfolded over the past 15 years as seen by the diaspora in the UK. It chronicles the economic disintegration, violence, growing oppression and political manoeuvring – and the tragic human cost involved. It is available at the Vigil for £10. All proceeds will go to the Vigil and our sister organisation the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe’s work in Zimbabwe. The book is also available from Amazon.
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