The bee stings – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

Source: The bee stings – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 27th October 2018

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/30656828397/sizes/m
MDC anniversary rally in Harare

As the MDC marked its 19th anniversary, Nelson Chamisa accused President Mnangagwa of backtracking on a promise to form an inclusive government. And he warned that this was the only way to unite the country and win international goodwill.

Chamisa insisted he didn’t want another government of national unity but a transitional authority which would return the country to legitimacy and enable it to get an emergency rescue package to kick-start the economy. He said: ‘The economy is always the mirror through which we see the real national situation and you have seen how it is behaving. There is deep seated dislocation, a deficit of leadership, governance, trust and confidence’ (see: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2018/10/mnangagwa-cornered-chamisa/).

His comments came against a backdrop of chaos in the finance ministry and at the Reserve Bank, where four top officials have been suspended following allegations that they were feeding the currency black market. The allegations were made by newly-appointed chair of the finance ministry trouble-shooting task force William Mutumanje, widely known as Acie Lumumba, who was immediately fired.

Acie said the four officials worked with someone known as the ‘queen bee’ who had links with the fuel industry and was trying to ‘capture the state’. Acie said they were manipulating the currency market, and, relieved of his post, he was now free to disclose secrets about ‘what’s really going on’ (see: https://www.news24.com/Africa/Zimbabwe/controversial-activist-fired-after-exposing-rot-at-zim-central-bank-20181025).

The worried diaspora at the Vigil were given the latest news from the ground by a Zimbabwean charity worker visiting London.. She said her work with the desperately poor saw no immediate prospect of improvement. ‘The poor are taking the brunt of the political mismanagement in the country’, she said  

Other points

  • Thanks to those who put up the banners, looked after the front table, handed out flyers and cleared up at the end: Joanathan Kariwo, Linda Dodzo, Casper Nyamakura, Ephraim Tapa, Grace Nyaumwe and Lawrence Mbamarwo.
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FOR THE RECORD: 11 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

  • ROHR Central London branch meeting. Saturday 17th November 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.
  • Zimbabwe Action Forum meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy.
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