The Commander-in-Chef and Head of Everything, Robert Mugabe (Dickson Munemo in our Mugabe mask) emerged tottering on walking sticks from Rymans Stationers next to the Vigil. He had apparently mistaken it for the opticians shop on the other side of the Embassy. Supported by First Lady Grace (played by Josephine Zhuga) he signed our petitions without looking at them saying Down with gay Bliar and all his friends before falling asleep in our chair.
The couple was greeted by Vigil supporters holding up placards saying: Mugabes 87th Birthday Time to Go, People Power in Tunisia, People Power in Egypt. Watch out Mugabe and Ben Ali & the Forty thieves gone! Mubarak gone! Mugabe must go.
Asked how the President and Commander in Chef had evaded the illegal travel sanctions, Graces personal helper, Gideon Gono, said the birthday boy had travelled very comfortably in Graces fully-equipped shopping bag. Gono, who is said to know something about these matters, seemed to think that all Zanu (PF) wives delisted from the illegal sanctions nightmare would soon be swooping on Harrods with the missing hundred million dollars in diamond money. The Vigil wants to tell them that we are watching every entrance to Harrods.
We were pleased to be joined by two leaders of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights): Kucaca Phulu (Chair) and Okay Machisa (Director). They are visiting London as part of a tour of six European countries organised by the Zimbabwe Europe Network in Brussels and the Zimbabwe Advocacy Office in Geneva to tell of what is going on in Zimbabwe.
To the delight of Vigil supporters, Machisa launched into singing and dancing. He said every week he checked what was happening at the Vigil. He spoke of the obstacles to democracy at home . . . the army, police, COI . . . We were so pleased when he said ‘You at the Vigil are in our hearts – your love of your country.’ For his part, Phulu pointed to the Embassy and said ‘One day freedom will walk out of that building and find you here.’ He added he had been ‘inspired and touched by the Vigil’ and expressed his confidence that the wave of freedom would reach Zimbabwe.
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check http://www.zimvigiltv.com/.
FOR THE RECORD: 108 signed the register.
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