via The total liar – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary, 29th August 2015 30 August 2015
‘There are lies, damned lies and statistics’ goes the saying. Mugabe ticked all these boxes in his State of the Nation Address to Parliament. From his preliminary lie boasting of ‘peace and stability’, to his damned lie about tackling corruption to his ludicrous growth statistics, he was the total liar.
We at the Vigil were cheered that the Address was mocked by opposition MPs, who jeered at his fantasy plan to turn around the collapsing economy – a plan which Morgan Tsvangirai said was ‘out of touch with reality’. He urged Mugabe to step down and call early elections, promising he would not enter another unity government.
Zimbabwean economist John Robertson said the State of the Nation Address was clueless and ‘failed to provide solutions to the challenges affecting the economy’. He added ‘’there is no admission that it is the government’s bad policies that have got us to where we are. They talk about revitalising agriculture but they do not talk about restoring the rule of law on land, security of tenure, property rights and funding’ (see: http://www.theindependent.co.zw/2015/08/28/govts-10-point-plan-a-worthless-dud/).
The Vigil plans to point this out to any prospective investors who may be prepared to pay £110 to attend a Zanu PF Forum in London next month on investment opportunities. The meeting will be attended by three ministers – Mike Bimha, Minister of Industry and Commerce, S K Moyo, Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion and Dr Obert Mpofu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development.
We will brief those who attend the Forum about the colourful history of the three ministers and the other Zimbabwean officials there. We certainly have much to tell them about our old friend Mr M’puffed up. Investors will be keen to know, for instance, what bribes they will be expected to pay him. And we are sure they will want to hear from Edmund Makona, CEO of thriving Air Zimbabwe. They might like to ask why he has reinstated the airline’s jailed boss, Grace Pfumbidzayi (see: http://nehandaradio.com/2015/08/23/air-zimbabwe-forced-to-reinstate-jailed-boss/).
Supporters may wish to email us their own comments on the three ministers and Mr Makona. Any information they may have about the other delegates would also be welcome (for names see: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zimbabwe-trade-and-investment-forum-london-uk-tickets-18233317343).
Other points
· British investors may also want to know when the Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo and his deputy Ziyambi Ziyambi will face justice over the bi-election violence in Hurungwe West in June. The government-funded Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has recommended that they be prosecuted and noted there was ‘disregard of the law when it comes to people who are deemed not allegiant to the ruling party’ (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit-m-chombo-ziyambi-named-in-poll-violence-dailynews-live/). The investors might also be interested to note that, more than a year after Mugabe ordered bankrupt parastatals to stop paying obscene rewards to their executives, they are still getting way above the salary cap set by the government (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_w_parastatal-bosses-defy-mugabe-on-salaries-the-zimbabwe-independent/).
· The open space outside the Zimbabwe Embassy where we hold our vigils is becoming increasingly busy. Crowds, mostly of migrants, congregate for free food handed out by an Islamic charity right after the Vigil. We are encouraging the unpaid Zimbabwe Embassy staff to join the queue.
· We were pleased to be joined by members of MDC-T Executive in the UK: Tonderai Samanyanga (Chair), Owen Muganda (Secretary) and Sibongile Sihwa (Vice Chair).
· Thanks to those who came early to help set up: Patricia Masamba, Esther Nyambi, Joseph Chivayo, Pearl Shambare, Ashley Mhako, Nobukhosi Moyo, Similenkosi Matiwaza, Muchineripi Chigwedere, Ali Ansar, Ephraim Tapa and Fungayi Mabhunu. Thanks to Patricia and Esther for looking after the front table.
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: 51 signed the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
· Journeys Festival, Leicester. Sunday 30th and Monday 31st August. Venue: Orton Square, Cultural Quarter, Leicester LE1 1SB. Zimbabwean performers: the band Harare which includes Vigil supporter Kuduashe Matimba (formerly of the Bundu Boys) at 12 noon on Sunday and the Zimbabwe Association Choir at 11 am on Monday,
· ROHR Executive Meeting: Saturday 5th September at 12 noon. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. For directions see below.
· 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 Action Forum (ZAF). Saturday 5th September from 6.15 pm. From the Vigil it’s about a ten 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 an optician. 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 5th September from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
· Vigil’s Monthly Itai Dzamara Protest. Saturday 12th September from 2 – 6 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London. The protest is to mark 6 months since Dzamara’s abduction by intelligence agents.
· Zimbabwe Yes We Can meeting. Saturday 26th September 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.
· 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: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
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 the 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.
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