Source: Mapfumo calls for Zimbabwean liberation – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 18th September 2021
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/51491285502/sizes/o/
The Chimurenga musician, Thomas ‘Mukanya’ Mapfumo, who lives in exile in the United States said his wish was for every Zimbabwean to return home and ‘liberate the country from dictatorship’.
Mapfumo is to perform in South Africa in November and said he hoped to go to Zimbabwe afterwards. ‘If you want independence, you have to be home. We can only liberate ourselves if we are united because it is not easy to remove this government of today.’ (See: https://www.newzimbabwe.com/return-home-and-liberate-zimbabwe-thomas-mapfumo-rallies-exiled-zimbabweans/.)
There is mounting impatience in the diaspora at the refusal of the Zanu PF government to observe the diaspora’s constitutional right to vote. As many as one in four Zimbabweans are believed to be in exile because of the country’s economic and political situation.
Southern Africa director of Human Rights Watch Dewa Mavhinga said: ‘Zanu-PF is afraid that many diasporans who left are not happy with the way it has governed the country and will definitely vote for the opposition’.
Mavhinga continued: ‘Diasporas remain massive injectors of foreign currency into the Zimbabwean government fiscus but it still refuses them the right to vote. It cannot have its cake and eat it.’ (See: https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-209051.html.)
Zimbabweans in the US and Canada called for a demonstration at the United Nations headquarters in New York today over human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and the denial of their right to vote. They said they would go ahead even though President Mnangagwa said he would not attend the UN meeting in person (see: https://www.newzimbabwe.com/usa-canada-based-zimbos-plot-massive-anti-mnangagwa-demo/).
But Mnangagwa will apparently be coming to the UK to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November. He discussed the visit this week with the British Ambassador Melanie Robinson who, the Herald reports, gave him a birthday card. The Vigil supposes that this is what they call diplomacy.
The Herald says: ‘the President’s visit is also expected to boost Zimbabwe’s chances of making its case to the global community, including the British Foreign Office for its re-admission into the international community, particularly the Commonwealth, from which it withdrew in 2003 at the height of a diplomatic tiff between Harare and London’. (See: https://www.herald.co.zw/president-meets-british-envoy-over-uk-trip/.)
Other Points:
- The Zimbabwe government has ordered all government workers to get vaccinated against Covid 19. The Public Service Commission said: ‘All civil servants should be vaccinated without delay, and unvaccinated members shall not be allowed to report for duty’. (See: https://apnews.com/article/africa-business-health-zimbabwe-coronavirus-pandemic-3a3cec7e85af9a900ae88aeb82de0468.)
- After four years in power, Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption campaign has turned out to be nothing but a façade, according to observers reported in an article in Newsday (see: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/09/eds-anti-graft-crusade-a-facade/).
- The government’s threat to non-governmental organisations was given a setback by a High Court ruling suspending a government directive under which they would have to stop operating if they failed to comply with state directives (see: https://www.newzimbabwe.com/high-court-reverses-govts-threats-to-shutdown-ngos/.)
- Today was a virtual Vigil. For the moment we are meeting outside the Embassy every other week and our next gathering will be on 25th September. On the alternate Saturdays we will continue with the virtual Vigil. However, it was agreed that because we are now able to meet physically and the Vigil is about making the effort to join together in protest, it is not appropriate to continue the virtual Vigils in the same way as they were conducted when we weren’t able to meet. To be recorded as participating in a virtual Vigil your photo, taken with a poster with a message reflecting the situation in Zimbabwe, must be taken at one of the actual Vigils. There will be a small charge to cover admin costs, the ongoing upkeep of the Vigil and our support for the human rights work of ROHR, our sister organisation in Zimbabwe. The photos will then be labelled with your name, uploaded on our website, Flickr site and Facebook pages. For today’s photos, see: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72157719919414880. Our virtual Vigil activists today were Casper Nyamakura, Dambudzo Marimira, Jacob Mandipira, Joyce Mbairatsunga and Richard Munyama who all kindly contributed to Vigil funds.
- For all Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.
Events and Notices:
- The next Vigil. Saturday 25th September from 2 – 5 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London.
- The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organisation 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 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. All proceeds 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.
- Facebook pages:
Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/Restoration-of-Human-Rights-ROHR-Zimbabwe-International-370825706588551/
ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515
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