Selfish and sick – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/37460408724/sizes/m/”>https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/37460408724/sizes/m/                                              

The allegation was outrageous. ‘Selfish?’ – the man who devotes both waking hours of the day entirely to our beloved country! If he was selfish would he still be criss-crossing the world every month on our behalf given his vast age and even vaster wealth? Surely he could be resting quietly in one of his numerous palatial mansions in South Africa, Hong Kong, Dubai and elsewhere.

And if he really is ill how could he possibly be making plans for the 94 ton cake to celebrate his birthday in February? Indeed, how could he aspire to eat so much cake if he was even slightly off his food?

Being selfish and sick is apparently only one of the accusations for which 25-year-old Martha O’Donovan was arrested in a dawn raid on her home in Harare. Some reports say she also retweeted something about the President being a goblin. But his goblinity is not in dispute, as ousted Vice-President Mujuru has made it clear that Mugabe has confessed to this anyway.

Nevertheless, former minister David Coltart, a human rights lawyer, says Ms O’Donovan of Magamba TV could be in big trouble. He says she could be facing a 20-year sentence for seeking to subvert constitutional government. She obviously did not twig on that Zimbabwe is now in a cyber war – any criticism of the government can be treason.

The Vigil appeals for clemency for this poor young woman. But we wouldn’t be surprised if the government doesn’t take action against the United States which, under cover of sanctions, has for a long time been sabotaging Zimbabwe by refusing to give us dollars, causing these endless queues you see everywhere.

As we dispersed at the end of the Vigil, we heard that Grace Mugabe had received the same sort of reception we gave her husband. Speaking at a rally in Bulawayo, she was booed by a section of the crowd who chanted ‘oyenzayo siyaizonda’ (‘we hate what you do’). Mugabe himself, sitting within backstabbing distance of Mujuru’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa. again took the opportunity to denigrate the Vice-President (see: https://citizen.co.za/news/news-africa/1583073/zimbabwe-politics-mugabe/).

Other points

• Thanks to Fungayi Mabhunu in our Mugabe mask who with goblin power brought the President to join us.
• The money collected for the late Yvonne Bonde has been sent to her family in Zimbabwe. Her sister asked us to thank all the contributors.
• Thanks to those who arrived early to help set up and stayed to the end to pack up: Abigail Chidavayenzi, Benjamin Chigamba, Miriam Gosho, Josephine Jombe, Sikhanyisiwe Kaziboni, Fungayi Mabhunu, Alice Majola, Theodora Mandishaya, Rosemary Maponga, Roseline Mashongamhonde, Gladys Meck, Sharon Moyo, Bianca Mpawaenda, Getrude Mudede, Roseline Mukucha, Margaret Munenge, Patience Muyeye, Mduduzi Ndlovu, Tsitsi Nyirongo, Hazvinei Saili and Rumbidzayi Sambana. Thanks to Josephine, Patience, Sharon and Rumbidzayi for looking after the front table, to Rosemary, Abigail, Bianca and Babula Gwatiringa for handing out flyers and selling ‘Mugabe must go/ has gone’ wristbands and to Fungayi, Maxmus Savanhu, Tsitsi, Hazvinei, Getrude, Jenny Murefu, Benjamin, Mduduzi, Patrick Chatakuta and Vincent Shoniwa for putting up 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: 57 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 11^th November from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High 
  Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
• ROHR Central London branch meeting. Saturday 18^th November from 11.30 am – 1.30 pm. Venue: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Contact: Daisy Fabian 07708653640, Maxmus Savanhu 07397809056, Sipho Ndlovu 07400566013.
• ROHR National Executive meeting. Saturday 25^th November 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.
• MDC-T UK and Ireland Christmas party. Saturday 9^th December from 2.30 – 11.30 pm. Venue: Redbridge Town Hall, 128-142 High Street, Ilford IG1 1DD. All Zimvigil activists are invited.
• The Vigil’s book ‘Zimbabwe Emergency’ is based on our weekly diaries. It records how events in Zimbabwe have unfolded over the past 15 years as seen by the diaspora in the UK. It chronicles the economic disintegration, violence, growing oppression and political manoeuvring – and the tragic human cost involved. It is available at the Vigil for £10. All proceeds will go to the Vigil and our sister organisation the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe’s work in Zimbabwe. The book is also available on Amazon.
• 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.
• Facebook pages:
  Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
  ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/Restoration-of-Human-Rights-ROHR-Zimbabwe-International-370825706588551/
  ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515