LONDON - Its been a busy week for vigil supporters, with our Independence Day demonstration against violence and our appeal to the Foreign Office to withdraw the invitation to attend the Royal Wedding unthinkingly issued to Mugabes Ambassador in London.
Naturally we follow the doings of the Foreign Office quite closely and this week proved an unusually interesting one one which gave us hope of a more robust approach to Southern African despots. This is how it developed:
Monday: word from Malawi that the British High Commissioner was to be sent packing for privately criticizing the government of Mugabes ally, President Mutharika who has been given a stolen farm in Zimbabwe and in return name a highway after his hero.
Tuesday: the Foreign Office whispers in Mutharikas ear that his country is bankrupt and kept afloat by the generosity of British taxpayers.
Wednesday: grovelling apology from Mutharika Britain is our best friend (what about Mugabe?).
What about Mugabe indeed! The Vigil wants the Foreign Office to spell out similar home truths to the other Mugabe acolytes receiving handouts.
Even the most obtuse of SADC leaders knows the sanctions issue is a nonsense but nevertheless it has surface again in Harares submission to President Zuma for his roadmap for elections.
The Vigil suggests that to save the obtuse faces it might be an idea to offer to suspend the targeted sanctions if the EU, US etc are satisfied with the elections arrangements and are allowed to send observers.
After all the aim is to achieve free and fair elections. We can always deal with the crooks later.
For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check http://www.zimvigiltv.com/.
FOR THE RECORD: 87 signed the register.
The Zim Vigil band (Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song Vigil Yedu (our Vigil) to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit website: www.imusicafrica.com
ROHR Manchester Vigil. Saturday 30th April from 2 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester City Centre (subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens). Contact: Delina Tafadzwa Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353, P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070 or P Chibanguza 07908406069. Future demonstration: 28th May. Same time and venue.
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