Wednesday ZHRO Vigil: 15 January 2020 ZHRO Wednesday Vigil Protest

ZHRO Wed Vigil 15 Jan 2020

ZHRO Vigil 15 Jan 2020, photo by Philip Mahlahla

ZANU PF Snubbed by U.K.

Gorilla Tactics Used

Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO) members met on Wednesday 15th January 2020 for a pre-planned peaceful, Vigil Protest at 429 the Strand in London. They were protesting against the lack of human rights in Zimbabwe caused by the tyrannical and calamitous ruling Junta, Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Fronts (ZANU PF), treatment of Citizens.

They gathered to protest against the continued false narratives peddled, the blatant lack of human rights, and showed that indeed whilst protesting, they are adept in the Gorilla Tactics of Ambushing targets whilst in the process of Peaceful, Civil Disobedience.

The most recent fruits of the ZANU PF's media machines false Narratives (of making themselves look like Angels and Holier than thou) is their being Snubbed by the United Kingdom's (UK) Prime Minister Borris Johnston, who is hosting the Africa Summit in London. In the context of being snubbed from the Africa summit, John Burke in an informal interview on Zimeye said, "if they don't know the reasons they haven't been invited, then they are more Stupid than I thought they were."

https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/01/uk-snubs-ed-govt/

The deterioration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe has been further magnified by the blatant threat by Energy Mutodi who is the Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. He threatened to "send Soldiers to shoot to kill protesters." Mutodi has received a rebuke from senior MDC Deputy Chairman and Parliamentarian Job Wiwa Sikhala who is on trial this month January 2020, for treasonous charges of, apparently subverting an elected Government.

The charges on Wiwa are linked to a video shot during a weekend rally. During the rally he is alleged to have said, "We are going to take the fight to the doorsteps of Emmerson Mnangagwa, we are going to overthrow him before 2023, that's not a joke." This may be seen as the ultimate Freedom of Speech trial Zimbabwe needs to possibly cement the right to free speech for all Zimbabweans, especially when talking about the President and ZANU PF whilst in Zimbabwe.

It has been reliably reported by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum (ZHRF) that it was around this time last year (January and February 2019), that Zimbabwe saw some of her Darkest Days since Independence. They included 1803 (One Thousand Eight Hundred and Three) Human Rights Abuses, including 17 (Seventeen) Extra-Judicial Killings. There were 51 cases of the arrest and Detention of Children, their torture, assault and bundling up with adults throughout their most of their ordeals.

The use before, during and after this period of Rape as a weapon, is unfortunately said to be continuing.

This was most recently highlighted first by the ZHRF, and then by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights who visited Zimbabwe in September 2019. This goes against the Convention that Zimbabwe signed and Ratified CEDAW.

The Vigil protest singing was gallantly led by Jenatry Muranganwa who was full of energy and jeered up the crowd to make noise with the upbeat songs he selected. His partnering up with the drumming of Ebson Chigwedere showed that today, the men had come to protest for the rights of the Children and Women of Zimbabwe. Also to remember those lost and the Civil and Human Rights battles that are to come ahead.

The signal to protest has been heeded by ZHRO members, (who sent a message (to ZANU PF) on Facebook saying, "we are watching") and have been asked by (ZHRO) members to up their antics. Yesterday, they risked their lives, by temporarily blocking the Ambassador from leaving by jumping around and protesting in front of his car, a crime in Zimbabwe, which could get you arrested, assaulted, tortured and only God knows what else the Junta Regime would do to those who would dare do the same in Zimbabwe.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=668639810541156&id=100021854291064

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=687239918348762&id=150154425045764

Thanks to Ebson Chigwedere and Jenatry Muranganwa whose pairing up really jeered the Vigil and created an atmosphere conducive to protesting. Thank you to Junior Madzimure, Rangarirai Chivaviro, Oswell Mawodza and Benjamin Chigamba for helping to set up. Thank you to Philip Mahlahla for taking the photos, to Tinashe Aliseni for manning the Twitter account, and John Burke for bringing all the banners and other utensils for the Vigil, all the way from the South of England. Thank you too, to all who attended for getting involved with the singing on such a cold and windy day. Without you this day would not have happened at all.

To find out more or to join ZHRO please do not hesitate to call

Phillip Mahlahla 074 5282 8229
Ebson Chigwedere 074 4923 5660
Kingstone Jambawo 079 0486 1774
Thabo Makuyana 079 4459 0970