Forward to the Stone Age – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

via Forward to the Stone Age – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 31st January 20150 01 February 2015

Mugabe is an appropriate choice as chairman of the African Union (AU). People at the Vigil thought that the ancient dictator, boots licked by cringing cronies, lording it over a cowed and impoverished people, certainly meets the job description.

The AU used to be called the Organisation of African Unity until it became so discredited that the name was changed. But as Zimbabweans know all too well, rebranding is just a means of continuing looting under another name. The unreformed organisation remains a club of paranoid megalomaniacs and kleptocrats, with the exceptions coerced into connivance.

So who could better fill the role of front man for Africa than Mugabe, ruler of the fourth worst economy in the world according to the Wall Street Journal  (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_w_zim-among-most-repressed-economies-the-zimbabwe-independent/ – Zim among ‘most repressed economies’). The AU deserves Mugabe. He will show the world the true face of African leadership.

With typical hypocrisy, the South African head of the AU Commission set out the aims of the Summit meeting: ‘Democracy, good governance and human rights’. Well they have found the man for the task. Prepare for a new African Renaissance: this one rebranded as the Stone Age.

Mugabe was lucky to escape stoning on his visit to Lusaka the other day when he was met by demonstrators chanting ‘Mugabe must go’. In full-damage limitation mode, the Herald was quick to dismiss the protesters as a ’handful’.  Look at the video to see how many people comprise a Herald handful (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z-yONT73Ho).

Other points

• ‘Mugabe must go’ will be the theme of a demonstration by a coalition of Zimbabwean groups at the Vigil on Mugabe’s 91^st birthday – 21^st February. ‘It must be his last birthday in office’, said the organiser Makusha Mugabe of MDC T. See: https://docs.google.com/document/d/188a3Q3muK9F10XNTPha1qOpyABY_WsGiEGylR59N2Ps/edit?pli=1.

• Joke of the week: the AU is not the only useless international organisation. You could add the EU with its re-engagement with Mugabe policy. But first prize must go the United Nations. It says unemployment is at 5.42% (see:http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2015/01/20/zimbabwe-unemployment-at-5.42-un – Zimbabwe unemployment at 5.42%: UN). Obviously,anyone selling two tomatoes (or digging their own grave) is counted as employed.

• Thanks to Epiphania Phiri, Rachel Mudzimba and Eunice Mucherechedzo for helping to set up on a day when we were threatened with snow. Our hearts were lifted by a generous donation from an anonymous supporter.

• You may be interested in two reports on recent visits to Zimbabwe, the first by the Australia-based Moses Chomboko of Zimbabweans United for Democracy (Zunde), which is joining us for the 21^st February protest (see:  http://nehandaradio.com/2015/01/23/zimbabwe-must-worse-somalia-admit-failure/). The other report is by Australian former government minister Peter Costello (see: Zimbabwean Diary –   http://www.spectator.co.uk/australia/australia-diary/9422362/zimbabwean-diary/). He says he looks forward to visiting Mugabe in Heroes’ Acre.

• The Zimbabwe Action Forum will meet after the Vigil on 7^th February and will discuss how to further a suggestion that there should be a UK parliamentary debate on Zimbabwe. We propose to put together a letter which supporters can send to the MPs to encourage them to support the debate in parliament. If you can’t come to the meeting you are welcome to email your input to co-ordinator@zimvigil.co.uk. The proposal for a parliamentary debate has gained a lot of traction.

   

  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: 20 signed the register.

   

  EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• Film ‘Democrats’. Thursday 5^th February at 6.10 pm. Venue: Curzon Victoria, 58 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QW. A film about the process of drawing up the new Zimbabwe constitution.   For more information see: http://www.dochouse.org/film-screening/DEMOCRATS—UK-Premiere–QandA-with/417. 

• Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF). Saturday 7^th February 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 14^th February from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.

• Mugabe birthday protest. Saturday 21^st February from 2 – 6 pm. Venue: outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London WC2R 0JR. More information to follow.

• ROHR Slough Branch general meeting. Saturday 21^st February from 11.30 am – 2 pm. Venue: Upton Lea Community Hall, Wexham Road, Slough SL2 5JW.   For further information contact: Patricia Masamba (Chair) 07708116625, Nkosi Tshabangu (Vice-Chair) 07535942709, Fungisai Mupandira (Organising Secretary) 07758958803.

• Zimbabwe Yes We Can meeting. Saturday 28^th February 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 Reading Branch general meeting and outreach. Saturday 28 February from 10.30 am – 5 pm. Venue: RISC 35-39 London Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4PS. For further enquiries contact: Information and Publicity Officer: 07888310582

• 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 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.

• Facebook pages:

  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.co/pages/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights/301811392835

• SW Radio Africa’s website and sound archive is being hosted on www.archive.org. Go to their site and type in swradioafrica which will link you to snapshots of their site over the years and at the top of that page a link to their website where, under podcasts, you will find the audio.