LONDON - The fruits of Obamas election to the US Presidency may be stranger than imagined. As we hastily set up the Vigil in anticipation of rain, one of our first visitors was an Afro-American political activist from Atlanta who showed great interest in our protest. (Pictured: Supporters hopeful that Obama will step up the pressure)He spoke to Fungayi Mabhunu of the Vigil management team about our demands for free and fair elections, restoration of the rule of law and liberty of the press and constitutional progress.
There has somehow been an expectation that Obama would side with the African elite. His visit to Ghana and the appointments to his African diplomatic team make clear, however, that he will be an even tougher proposition than Bush for recidivists such as Mugabe.
He appears to be a man with genuine compassion for the suffering of ordinary people and the Vigil was happy when he refused to receive a minister from Zanu (PF) who tried to insinuate himself into the White House on the back of Morgan Tsvangirai. We trust President Obama will put pressure on SADC to enforce the GPA which is now due for review. Five months into the Unity Government the agreement has still not been observed: no free media, no rule of law, no end to the lies and now the military refusing to relinquish their bloody grip on the Marange diamonds.
And what do we get from our friends in South Africa? An old Zimbabwean woman blind and deaf is arrested in Johannesburg and thrown into jail for loitering. She was sleeping on the pavement. God forgive you South Africa and your Home Affairs spokesman who blames Zimbabwes problems on sanctions.
We look to President Obama to see through these lies and special pleading and insist that all partners to the GPA including SADC live up to their obligations.
The management team met after the Vigil to discuss how we should send home the money we have collected for education in Zimbabwe. As many of you know we have received more than 800 raised by a sponsored run in the London Marathon by Steve Garvey, a teacher at the Dolphin School in South London, and other projects by his pupils. It was decided to spend the money on stationery and sports equipment for schools in Zimbabwe. It was felt that the money would go further if equipment was purchased in the UK. We will keep you informed of progress on this.
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/
FOR THE RECORD: 158 signed the register.