Amid speculation that President Mugabe may call an early election in March to wrongfoot the opposition, the Election Watch organisation has shown that the mooted polling date could not be achieved if the proposed Biometric Voter Registration is used.
Election Watch calls on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to make alternative arrangements so that at least an updated and cleaned up existing voters’ roll is available for inspection. It warns that without a completely credible voters’ roll there cannot be a credible election next year, whether in March or any other month.
ZEC has consistently said it intends to produce a completely new voters’ roll using BVR. But the exercise has not yet started and the Election Watch report will heighten opposition fears that ZEC will once again be unable to produce an acceptable voters’ roll, opening the way for another rigged election.
The approach of the election has been accompanied by a sharp fall in the value of bond notes, with no end in sight to the queues of people trying to withdraw their money from banks. The bond note fall is shown by the widening gap between the Old Mutual’s share price on the Zimbabwe stock exchange and the price of the shares in Johannesburg and London. Worse news is expected to confirm that this year’s government budget deficit may exceed half the budget.
A further dose of reality came with the publication of a report ranking Harare as one of the worst cities in the world in which to live. The Economist Intelligence Unit looked at a 140 cities and rated Harare in the last ten, among worn-torn capitals like Damascus and Tripoli.
Try ‘rebranding’ that Tourism Minister Mzembi! You could start by clearing up Mugabe’s litter . . .
Other points
- It was agreed at the Vigil to hold a demonstration outside the Embassy on Tuesday 5th September from 11 am to 1 pm against the outrageous behaviour of Grace Mugabe and her litter. We will write a letter to Mrs Mugabe which we will try to present via the Zimbabwean Ambassador. We were encouraged by the example of ROHR supporter Linda Masarira and others who have started a petition to apologise to the South African people for the behaviour of Grace Mugabe in their country. To sign the petition go to: https://www.change.org/p/south-african-high-commission-to-zimbabwe-apology-to-the-people-of-south-africa-from-zimbabweans.
- The Vigil was interested to see a youtube video of last week’s diary about Grace’s adventures in Johannesburg on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4N4OcbyFnc.
- ROHR is continuing its fundraising activities for the Zimbabwe Peace Actors’ Platform and a boat trip on the Thames is planned for Saturday 23rd September after the Vigil. There will be more information as plans firm up.
- We were pleased to have Phillip Mahlahla back with us. He was in detention and taken to the airport for deportation but for health reasons was not put on the plane. He has been a very regular attender at the Vigil.
- Other good news is the arrival of Etines Kapiya’s twin babies. She has named them Dennis and Rose. Everyone signed a card for her. Thanks to Isabell Gwatidzo for collecting the signatures.
- Thanks to those who came early to help set up: Isabell Gwatidzo, Babula Gwatiringa, Jonathan Kariwo, Fungayi Mabhunu, Junior Madzimure, Phillip Mahlahla, Chido Makawa, Heather Makawa, Roseline Mukucha, Alfredy Mukuvare, Esther Munyira, Beverley Mutandiro, Evy Muyezwa, Patricia Nyamunda, Rumbidzayi Sambana, Pearl Shambare, Vincent Shoniwa and Dean Zhuwau. Thanks to Roseline, Esther and Mavis for looking after the front table, to Babula, Junior, Evy, Alfredy and Faith Ndhlovu for handing out flyers and selling wristbands and to Alfredy, Vincent, Pearl, Isabell, Jonathan, Junior, Babula and Beverley for putting up and taking down the banners.
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.
FOR THE RECORD: 30 signed the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
- ROHR National Executive meeting. Saturday 2nd September from 11 am. Venue: The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX.
- 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.
- Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 2nd September from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
- Protest about Grace Mugabe’s behaviour. Tuesday 5th September from 11 am – 1 pm. Venue: outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, London. Please come and support bringing your own posters. We plan to deliver a letter to the Ambassador to pass on to Grace Mugabe.
- Fundraising boat trip for ZimPAP. Saturday 23rd September after the Vigil. More information as plans firm up.
- Zimbabwe Action Forum meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy.
- Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.
- Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2016 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/843-zimbabwe-vigil-highlights-2016. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2016 Highlights page.
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Facebook pages:
I hate to make any criticism of the brave men and women activists
against Mugabe. But it is also very painful to see you knocking your heads
against a concrete wall.
The brutal truth is that Mugabe and ZANU PF would have been removed
years ago, had activists concentrated on a different direction.
Few of the opposition seem to understand that they are not fighting
a democratic government but a dictatorship. And dictatorships just ride
roughshod over elections, as ZANU PF has already proved. So why waste valuable
time on this?
Only a mass movement of citizens will remove them. So every activist
and campaign organisation should be focusing all their time and effort on mobilising,
educating, motivating and leading a mass movement of citizens. Do that properly
and you will remove Mugabe and ZANU PF very quickly. Yet there are few
references to this anywhere.
I hate to make any criticism of the brave activists opposing Mugabe. But it is also very painful to witness you knocking your heads against a concrete wall.
The brutal truth is Mugabe and ZANU PF would have been removed years ago, had activists concentrated on a different strategy.
Few activists understand they are fighting a dictatorship. And
dictatorships just ride roughshod over elections, as ZANU PF has proved. So why waste valuable time on this?
Only a mass movement of citizens will remove them. So every activist should be focusing all their time and effort on mobilising, educating, motivating and leading a mass movement of citizens. Do that properly and you will remove Mugabe and ZANU PF very quickly. Yet there are few references to this anywhere.
SADC advised Zimbabweans not to take part in the elections until reforms are implemented and no one paid any heed. Getting the people to have nothing with these elections will will be the first step to your mass protest.
I must confess, I don’t see the logic in that, Patrick. If the elections are boycotted, doesn’t that just mean ZANU PF will be returned unopposed, creating the one-state party that Mugabe has always wanted? Or am I missing something?
It is impossible to hold free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe without implementing first the democratic reforms designed to stop the vote rigging. We know that not even one reform was implemented since the 2013 rigged elections.
Zimbabweans went into the elections with no reforms in place in July 2013 and we all know what happened. It is madness to go into yet another flawed election and expect a different result.
What some people are failing to realize is there is a high price to be paid for contesting flawed elections:
1) Zanu PF will rig and get back into power with all the consequences of having the corrupt and tyrannical regime back in power another five more years.
2) By participating we give the election process political credibility and thus forfeit the chance to get the reforms implemented.
After 37 years of rigged elections with the country up to her eyes in economic trouble; can we really afford another rigged election?
The window of opportunity to make up our minds to stop participating in the flawed elections is closing because if we take any part in the in the process then we have once again forfeited our chance to demand reforms!