https://www.flickr.com/photos/
They
were
continuing
our
protest
against
Zanu
PF,
Zimbabwe’s
ruling
regime
responsible
for
the
human
rights
abuses
and
lack
of
democracy
in
Zimbabwe.
Thanks
to
the
valiant
few
who
came
today:
Shepherd
Gandanga,
Blessing
Harry,
Thabani
Themba
Khoza,
Patricia
Masamba,
Dumisani
Nyathi
and
Ephraim
Tapa.
Photos: https://www.flickr.
Thabani
Themba
Khoza
from
Eswatini
(formerly
Swaziland)
came
to
stand
in
solidarity
with
the
Zimbabwe
cause.
Thabani
travelled
all
the
way
from
Birmingham,
defying
warnings
of
snow
and
ice
on
the
UK
weather
front,
to
be
with
us.
He
is
also
reviving
the
Swazi
Vigil.
Speaking
to
Thabani,
it
is
clear
that
the
people
of
Zimbabwe
and
Eswatini
share
the
twin
problems
of
dictatorship
and
lack
of
democracy. While
Zimbabwe
is
grappling
with
a
military
dictatorship
that
took
over
following
the
demise
of
Mugabe’s
police
state,
Eswatini
suffers
the
dictatorship
of
the
absolute King
Mswati’s
monarchy. The
kingdom
does
not
allow
multi-party
democracy
and
anyone
found
to
be
pursuing
such
risks
arbitrary
arrest,
or
state
sponsored
abduction
and/or
murder.
In
Zimbabwe,
voting
is
a
futile
exercise,
as
results
are
pre-determined
in
favour
of
ZANU
PF,
by
the
Zimbabwe
Electoral
Commission,
an
appendage
of
the
ruling
party. For
these
reasons,
Vigil
activists
agreed
on
the
need
for
African
countries
to
join
hands
against
call
dictatorships,
until
the
people
are
free
and
justice
is
done. Vigil
activists
further
vowed
to
continue
standing
in
the
gap,
no
matter
how
bitter
or
treacherous
the
weather
was.
Yes,
indeed,
the
awful
weather
made
this
week’s
Vigil
a
difficult
proposition,
but
the
bravest
and
most
resolute
of
our
activists
survived
it. Thanks
to
Shepherd
Gandanga
who
travelled
all
the
way
from
Wales,
Dumisani
Nyathi
from
Southend-on-Sea,
Thabani
Khoza
from
Birmingham
and Blessing
Harry
from
Slough.
Special
thanks
to
Patricia
Masamba
who
brought
in
the
Vigil
stuff
in
time
for
the
set-up.
For
Vigil
pictures
check: http://www.flickr.com/
Please
note:
Vigil
photos
can
only
be
downloaded
from
our
Flickr
website.
Events
and
Notices:
-
Next
Vigil
meeting
outside
the
Zimbabwe
Embassy. Saturday
18th January
from
2
–
5
pm.
We
meet
on
the
first
and
third
Saturdays
of
every
month.
On
other
Saturdays
the
virtual
Vigil
will
run. -
The
Restoration
of
Human
Rights
in
Zimbabwe
(ROHR) is
the
Vigil’s
partner
organisation
based
in
Zimbabwe.
ROHR
grew
out
of
the
need
for
the
Vigil
to
have
an
organisation
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. -
The
Vigil’s
book
‘Zimbabwe
Emergency’ is
based
on
our
weekly
diaries.
It
records
how
events
in
Zimbabwe
have
unfolded
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.
All
proceeds
go
to
the
Vigil
and
our
sister
organisation
the
Restoration
of
Human
Rights
in
Zimbabwe’s
work
in
Zimbabwe.
The
book
is
also
available
from
Amazon. -
Facebook
pages:
Vigil : https ://www.
ROHR: https://www.
ZAF: https://www.
The
Vigil,
outside
the
Zimbabwe
Embassy,
429
Strand,
London
meets
regularly
on
Saturdays
from
14.00
to
17.00
to
protest
against
gross
violations
of
human
rights
in
Zimbabwe.
The
Vigil
which started
in
October
2002
will
continue
until
internationally-monitored,
free
and
fair
elections
are
held
in
Zimbabwe.