via Zimbabwe Vigil UK Sunday, 18 August 2013 16:36
Supporters of the Vigil and associated groups have agreed to arrange an all-stakeholder meeting in London in October to give the diaspora an opportunity to discuss ways of working together to reclaim Zimbabwe.
The decision was made at the Zimbabwe Action Forum held after the regular Saturday Vigil outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London.
The Forum was addressed by Dewa Mavhinga, Senior Researcher for Africa with Human Rights Watch and a former regional co-ordinator for Southern Africa of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. He was in Zimbabwe for the elections and gave us a firsthand account of how they were rigged. Mr Mavhinga, who has had meetings with the leadership of most SADC countries, said they had made it clear that, as long as the violence of 2008 was avoided, they would rubberstamp the election outcome.
The MDC, he said, had invested too much hope in SADC. ‘Zimbabweans must liberate themselves. You can’t sub-contract it. If you expect action from regional bodies you need action in Zimbabwe.’
Ephraim Tapa, head of ROHR Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement, said he’s been approached by several groups keen to join forces behind a diaspora initiative. It was hoped the all-stakeholder conference would create a broad-based movement with agreed values.
A co-ordinating team was set up to work on the logistics of the planned conference consisting of: Patrick Musami, Fungayi Mabhunu, Charles Dumisani Ndlovu, Nkosikona Tshabangu, Jonathan Kariwoh and David Kadzutu.
The meeting applauded the response by the poet Chenjerai Hove to an article congratulating Botswana for rejecting the results of the elections. Mr Hove said:’ Botswana is giving a great example in order to reject the notion that we have something called ‘free and fair elections by African standards.’ Why should Africans allow such a stupid claim which suggests that ‘African standards’ are okay for ‘these savages’ if they kill two hundred people instead of one million. We are not sub-humans who should be given a different set of electoral rules and justice. We cannot allow ourselves to be treated as ‘savages’ who don’t have to comply with simple and reasonable ideas of justice. If we accept to treat ourselves as sub-human, the rest of the world will treat us as rubbish. When are we going to demand the highest quality of everything as a people? Our governments allow the importation of Chinese zhing zhongs, cheap products which should be in the garbage dump because we treat ourselves as sub-standard human beings who are doomed to eat even rotten food.’
The forum agreed that the Vigil would deliver a letter to the Botswana High Commission in London next Saturday thanking President Khama for his brave and lonely support for credible, free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
The meeting also challenged the MDC to refuse to take up their seats in Parliament – although there was a feeling that the more likely outcome would be that the MDC would throw in its lot with another Zanu PF-dominated GNU.
The meeting also urged the British government not to recognise the election results and, if necessary, suspend diplomatic relations and the UK’s aid of about £100 million a year.
During the Vigil, activist Martin Chinyanga laid flowers on the Embassy doorstep in tribute to 29-year-old Rebecca Mafukeni, an MDC activist who was arrested along with about 30 others over the alleged murder of a policeman and died recently in prison. He posted the following notice on the Embassy wall. ‘RIP Rebecca Mafukeni. May her soul rest in eternal peace. Arrested for a crime she never committed. Remanded in prison for two years as the state fails to determine her and her co-accused’s fate. In their innocence they lost out nearly three years of their freedom. Is this what the people of Zimbabwe voted for? Is this what the people of Zimbabwe deserve? We are deeply pained by the young people whose hopes, dreams and aspirations are dashed because old people do not want to give the way to the young to also learn and grow in wisdom, knowledge and experience. Your fight, Rebecca, remains our fight.’ Ephraim Tapa commented that this death was the fault of the whole of the inclusive government.
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil website.
FOR THE RECORD: 57 signed the register. EVENTS AND NOTICES:
– Vigil: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts– ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515– ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights/301811392835
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| Call for diaspora unity – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 10th August 2013 |
| Sunday, 11 August 2013 11:15 | |
There has been a call in London for a conference of the Zimbabwean diaspora to discuss the way forward following the rigged elections which have returned Mugabe to power for another term. The call came from Ephraim Tapa, President of the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) and a founder member of the Zimbabwe Vigil which has been protesting outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London every Saturday for the past eleven years in support of free and fair elections. Mr Tapa was speaking at a demonstration outside the Embassy on Saturday attended by exiled Zimbabweans from various parts of the UK, including members of the defeated MDC. He said that, following the stealing of the elections, people at home had lost faith in the politics of the ballot box. The MDC project had run its course and Zimbabweans were looking to the diaspora to come up with an alternative programme to save Zimbabwe. He said there were encouraging signs that the various Zimbabwean groups wanted to speak with one voice. A range of reactions to the rigged elections were expressed – from an angry call for revolution from activist Martin Chinyanga to the bitter tears of MDC official Makusha Mugabe. Another senior MDC official Elliot Pfebve, a defeated candidate in the elections, told the crowd of the various ways the voting had been manipulated. He said the people in Zimbabwe were in a desperate situation and looked to the diaspora for help but things ultimately depended on the people of Zimbabwe themselves. During the day hundreds more signatures were added to the Vigil’s petition which calls on President Zuma of South Africa to urge the Southern African Development Community to demand new elections. The plight of Zimbabwe has been spelt out in the demented ravings of Mugabe about the policy of indigenisation and empowerment. An article in the Herald quotes him as telling the first Politburo meeting after the elections ’ZANU-PF is going to deliver on promises made to the people during its highly subscribed and successful election campaign’. The Herald added ‘President Mugabe said Zimbabwe would precisely do the opposite of what the West wished for’ (see:https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/mugabe-says-hell-deliver-on-promises/ – Mugabe says he’ll deliver on promises). For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil website. FOR THE RECORD: around 100 signed the register. EVENTS AND NOTICES:
– Vigil: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts– ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515– ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights/301811392835
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COMMENTS
So the solution to the so-called sham elections, as well as the recent news of Zim presiding over SADC, is to hold another stupid f@&king candlelight prayer vigil? Hallelujah indeed!
Don’t forget the obligatory photo op for The Zimbabwean and another guilt-tripping article by Cathy Buckle.
These comedians and homosexuals in the Diaspora spent most of their time on rehearsing and performing idiotic theatrics. It’s either they show up or just put off. Zimbabwe is a democracy and you are allowed to come and form your opposition political parties. What we will not allow you to do is to encourage our children to go for the defecating hole in the name of human rights. no that is evil. we voted for the right candidate and rejected an idiotic puppet. That is the state of affairs right here in Zimbabwe. Like or hate it, but that’s the reality on ground.
To Jongwe Power,
“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” Proverbs 24:19
“To show partiality in judging is not good:
Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent’ – peoples will curse him and nations denounce him. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.” Proverbs 24:23
“When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.” Proverbs 28:28
Hate to use a bit of sarcasm here. A God that;
a) allows our country to sink like a stone,
b) allows politicians of BOTH parties to sharpening their digging tools,
c) allows politicians of BOTH parties to use our churches like free condoms, and
c) allows the rest of the world to focus on what Lady Gaga ate for dinner last night,
definitely makes the Devil look like a saint. At least with the Devil, you KNOW he is a liar who toys with your hopes and dreams.
Jongwe Power,
I am with you and I agree….. the conclusion you come to, as you look around at the world we live in, is logical and normal..ie that evil always seems to abound in the face of the righteous.
That’s why I have been trying to take us back to scripture…. our only hope……if you read those Proverbs ~ they answer all your questions and observations. God sees all….its not up to us to judge or take vengeance (that’s His job) and believe me, God has reserved a day for the wicked…..
Can we stay faithful and believe what God has said, even when it looks like the total opposite is happening? Come on Jongwe, we can do it!!!!….. God says, “Without FAITH it is impossible to please God!”
Don’t let your faith and hope die…..the bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” There is a time for mourning….and we have had nearly 3 weeks to mourn…..now God is saying, “Rise up!!!”
We are not to question God’s timing and how and when He deals with the wicked….but what is our responsibility?….what does He require of us?
To love our God and to love our neighbours as ourself……. to make sure our lives are right with God (God is a God of justice, I promise you!!!)
Watch and see….. have we as a nation put God FIRST? Have we? As we cry out to Him….. He sees all…… let God shine His light into our hearts? Let us search our own lives before we judge others… I know this is hard! Oh I pray that your flesh will subside and your spiritual eyes will be OPENED….. to see things as He sees them! Know what I mean?
Jongwe Power,
I know I am writing a lot to you…. I hope u don’t mind? I just have to write what I feel God wants to say to you……
His heart is beating with so much love for you…. he sees you. Can you open your heart to Him? Can you take that leap of faith?…. even when you don’t have all the answers or you don’t understand everything…and the world seems so unfair?
“The Lord works out everything for his own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster.” Proverbs 16:4
Please consider that Jesus said to go into all the world to make disciples… not churches, not countries. The church Jesus said He would build is the nation of righteousness, the Kingdom of God… for which there is no earthly headquarters or seat of power or control or hierarchy, or “holy place”. We all have to fashion our own life according to His standard… the standard of righteousness described in scripture. Remember, if Abraham could have found 10 righteous INDIVIDUALS in Sodom, the city could not have been described as “righteous”, but God promised the city would not suffer destruction.
Point is, don’t attempt to deflect the personal responsibility to be godly. That responsibility rests squarely upon the shoulders of each and every person upon earth, including those in Zim… and those who don’t accept that responsibility, and change their lives, have rejected God, have no part in the Kingdom of God, and will be judged accordingly in eternity.
Unfortunately, all around the world, for their own reasons people have chosen to serve Satan rather than God. In the West, many “go to church”, but only to make themselves feel better. Materialism and wealth have led them to reject God by simply replacing Him as the priority in their lives. In Zim, power and pride seem to be the reason, for why else would so many act so dishonestly to reelect such a man to rule them.
Repent..! Judgment comes..!!
“The forum agreed that the Vigil would deliver a letter to the Botswana High Commission in London next Saturday thanking President Khama for his brave and lonely support for credible, free and fair elections in Zimbabwe”
And
He has flip-flopped again just as he did in Kenya.
This forum should redirect its energy in rebuilding Zim. Calling for sanctions is BS. You guys have to act responsible. You’re sitting cozy out in UK and what about people in Zim who are directly affected by those sanctions? Nothing is gonna change for Mugabe and his cronies. Be realistic, Tsvangison lost and he lost big. He had no message to the people of Zim. Welshman got it right when he said removing Mugabe is not a message…
Now…all of SADC is in Mugabe’s pocket. Use your influence if you have any to help rebuild Zim otherwise you run a danger of being overtaken by events and worse become irrelevant.
What are those sanctions, and why were they put in place? Exactly how have those sanctions destroyed the Zim economy? No spin allowed… where did all that money go that was sent as foreign aid? Where? How has keeping Grace from her outlandish shopping trips created such a problem for Zim? Wanna help, then let the NGO’s again freely operate in Zim without government control of the funds, or the party being allowed to interfere and control distribution. Have a problem with that idea? Or is the intent to reward those who have put, and kept, Zim in such miserable economic shape. Jobs, you say. Well, ok… Great idea. Smart thinking. That could fix everything. So, how about a guarantee that the businesses that come and create those jobs won’t be taken by the government, and the investors lose everything without recourse. Oh wait… that guarantee would be worth just about as much as the deeds that the farmers and their employees were injured and killed trying to protect. I’m still waiting… where did the money go? Sure wasn’t spent on infrastructure, or schools, or hospitals, or anything to benefit the Zim citizens… well, other than, you know… there were those shopping trips and such……