Grotesque birthday feast – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/33114476165/sizes/m/

A message from a pastors’ forum in Bulawayo said they were appalled at the money being spent on Mugabe’s birthday party and listed some of the pressing needs in the area that could benefit from this money.  They quoted Proverbs: 29 v 2: ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.’

The grotesque party for Mugabe’s 93^rd birthday was particularly insulting to the local people because the venue is so close to the graves of victims of Mugabe’s Gukurahundi genocide of the 1980s, orchestrated by Vice President Mnangagwa.

With us at the Vigil was Enniah Dube, Vice President of Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe, who grew up in the area. She said: ‘the idea to hold a party for Mugabe there is highly insensitive and an insult to the people of Matabeleland. It’s like telling people to stop mourning their deceased and dine with the murderer. Those of us who witnessed the Gukurahundi era will never have closure until Mugabe and his cronies answer for their crimes.’

Mugabe at 93 is fast failing. But he is the only thing Zanu PF can rally around. When Grace said he could stand for re-election next year even if he is dead, people laughed. Then it dawned on everyone that the Mugabes were deadly serious. After all, whole cemeteries of skeletons over 100 years old were on the voters’ roll for the 2013 elections. They all voted for Mugabe then and will no doubt be even keener now that he himself is approaching 100.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he was already gearing them up to go canvassing for him in the dead of night. No use locking your doors, they will simply walk through them. It is well know that Mugabe is keen on the occult. He said it was because Mai Mujuru was trying to put spells on him that he had to get rid of her.

For her part, Grace Mugabe, as befits someone with a doctorate, takes a more scientific view. She wisely warns girls that they are more likely to get pregnant than boys and cites her evidence: ‘If you look at the statistics, girls have nearly 100% chance of getting pregnant, while boys have nearly zero chances of falling pregnant. This means girls have to be extra vigilant’ (see: http://thesoutherndaily.co.za/index.php/2017/02/19/girls-have-high-chance-of-pregnancy-says-mugabe/).

Other points

• Thanks to Fungayi Mabhunu for playing the role of Mugabe in our mask at the Vigil at which we demonstrated against Grace Mugabe’s remarks about a dead Mugabe standing at the next election and the extravagance of his birthday feast. We were sorry to hear that several ROHR members were assaulted today by police after demonstrating against Mugabe outside Parirenyatwa Hospital.
• Thanks to those who arrived early to help set up: Zodwa Bhebhe, Vimbayi Chambara, Enniah Dube, Daizy Fabian, Isabell Gwatidzo, Christopher Kamuzonde, Etines Kapiya, Alice Majola, Nyarai Masvosva, Benjamin Molife, Roseline Mukucha, Alfredy Mukuvare, Delline Mutendi, Sally Mutseyami, Patience Muyeye, Evy Muyezwa, Edward Ndlovu, Tsitsi Ndoro, Pretty Okechukwu, Maxmus Savanhu, Ephraim Tapa and Fadzai Tembo. Thanks to Roseline, Isabell and Pretty for looking after the front table, to Patience, Alice and Abigail Chidavayenzi for handing out flyers and selling wristbands and to Enniah, Maxmus, Fadzai and Alfredy for putting up the banners and tarpaulin.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website. The facebook page for our sister organisation Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) (https://www.facebook.com/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights-301811392835) has been hijacked by destructive elements from a group calling itself ZHRO. Please be advised that any postings on this page are not posted by ROHR.

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