Zimbabwe Vigil Diary 16th August 2025

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/54726553134/sizes/m/

 

Thanks
to
those
who
came
today:
Blessing
Harry,
Jonathan
Kariwo,
Chantelle
Manyande,
Philip
Maponga,
Mellisa
Marewangepo,
Ziwanai
Mbanje
and
Ephraim
Tapa.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72177720328437374/.

During
the
vigil
meet,
activists
took
time
to
reflect
on
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s
statement
to
the
Liberation
Movements
Summit
recently
held
in
South
Africa.
In
a
video,
Mr
Mnangagwa
is
heard
calling
to
other
liberation
movements:
‘we
must
not
allow
ourselves
to
lose
power’.

This
statement
said
it
all
to
vigil
activists.
It
meant
that
ZANU
PF
would
continue
to cling
to
power,
even
against
the
people’s
will. It
meant
that
to
oppose
ZANU
PF
would
be
akin
to
looking
for
trouble,
including
death.

It
meant
that
ruling
liberation
movements,
many
of
which
constitute
SADC,
would
not
be
helpful
to
Zimbabwe,
particularly
when
elections
were
clearly
stolen
and
the
electorate
subdued
through
violence
and
intimidation.

Mnangagwa’s
statement
served
to
encourage
ruling
liberation
movements
within
SADC
to
continue
to
retain
power
by
hook
or
by
crook,
even
if
it
meant
eliminating
perceived
opponents. Such
statements
were
so
backward
that
they
could
only
drag
the
region,
and
with
it
Africa,
to
the
dark
ages.

Activists
felt
vindicated
and
emboldened:
vowing
to
continue
with
the
fight
for
democracy
and
human
rights
regardless.

For
Vigil
pictures
check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please
note:
Vigil
photos
can
only
be
downloaded
from
our
Flickr
website.

Events
and
Notices:  

• 
  Next
  Vigil
  meeting
  outside
  the
  Zimbabwe
  Embassy. Saturday
  6^th September
  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.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

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.

Post
published
in:

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