Fed up of the turbulent political situation in Zimbabwe, hordes of anti-government demonstrators today gathered at the South African High Commission in central London to protest against President Robert Mugabe’s continued iron fisted rule.
In a petition addressed to the South African President Jacob Zuma, the protestors demanded;
1. “That the violence perpetrated by ZANU PF against the opposition stops,
2. That the Global Political Agreement be implemented in full,
3. That the constitutional process is completed and,
4. That the voters roll is overhauled under the oversight of an independent commission.”
As the South African High Commission was closed today due to the demonstration, the signed petition will be presented to the ambassador on Tuesday 22nd, 2011.
Last month has seen a “renewed sense of siege mood in the country, arbitrary arrests, crackdown on democratic forces and the culture of impunity." A group of academics were arrested and thrown in jail for watching videos of the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and six of them including Munyaradzi Gwisai, were slapped with a treason charge which carries a death penalty.
Another petition was sent to Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, the current chair of the SADC protocol on Politics, Defence and Security, imploring him to take President Mugabe to task and ensure, with immediate effect, an end to“…attack on the leadership of MDC and Human Rights activists… and the immediate withdrawal of all security forces from the communal areas.”
The third petition was a request to the Hon. Damien Green, Minister of Immigration to “defer deportations” citing intensified harassment of MDC supporters and members by the brutal regime of President Robert Mugabe. The document asks the minister to “directly engage with the leadership of legitimate …opposition parties based in the UK & Ireland in a bid to establish the correct political situation currently prevailing” in Zimbabwe.
Emily Madamombe, the Provincial Chair nominee, vehemently urged the protestors to say “NO” to the deportations. She noted the UK government’s lack of consultation of Zimbabwean nationals in the UK & Ireland prior to endorsing the decision to resume deportations and the failing GPA and SADC.
Otilia Chiwashira, Interim Chair for Women’s Assembly reminded the protesters not to concede to defeat easily. “Revolution is a process”, she said. “We have been here before (SA High Commission), and we will continue to come here until change is effected in Zimbabwe”.
The MDC UK’s Interim Organising Secretary Jeff Sango said: “We realise that the situation in Zimbabwe is not getting any better. We thought the government of national unity was going to change things, but we see an escalation where Mugabe and ZANU PF are very keen on not having a proper road map and free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.”
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| Joao Ernesto Matandirani Branch Secretary MDC Southend Hausunde |
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