Zimbabwe Vigil Diary 20th September 2025

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/54800988372/sizes/m/

A
special
thanks
to
Jonathan
Kariwo
and
Philip
Maponga
for
opening
and
managing
the
Vigil
today.
Thanks
also
to
the
others
who
came:
Blessing
Harry,
Chantelle
Manyande,
Ziwanai
Mbanje
and
Melody
Mkwenje.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72177720329157560/.

The
Following
report
appears
on
the
Zimbo
Live
news
channel:

‘Authorities
have
delivered
a
stark
new
warning
to
social
media
users
accused
of
attempting
to
destabilise
the
nation.
In
a
firm
declaration
made
yesterday,
police
have
signalled
a
major
crackdown
is
underway,
putting
online
“troublemakers”
directly
in
their
sights.
The
announcement
promises
a
decisive
shift
in
how
online
activity
is
monitored,
with
law
enforcement
vowing
to
take
action. 

‘“We
Are
Going
All
Out”. Speaking
to
the
Daily
News,
Police
National
Spokesperson
Paul
Nyathi
made
the
force’s
position
unequivocally
clear.
He
confirmed
that
a
full-scale
effort
is
being
launched
to
identify
and
prosecute
those
using
online
platforms
to
incite
chaos.
Nyathi
stated
that
they
were
“going
all
out
to
bring
to
book
all
social
media
troublemakers”
leaving
no
room
for
doubt
about
the
seriousness
of
their
intent. 

‘A
Stern
Message
to
Online
Agitators. This
high-level
notice
serves
as
a
direct
message
to
individuals
accused
of
using
their
keyboards
to
sow
discord
and
anarchy.
The
statement
underscores
a
commitment
from
authorities
to
hold
users
accountable
for
content
that
they
believe
threatens
national
stability.
The
message
is
simple:
online
actions
have
real-world
consequences,
and
a
period
of
reckoning
is
approaching
for
those
deemed
to
be
crossing
the
line.’ 

To
the
Vigil
this
sounds
like
a
serious
threat
to
free
speech
as
the
expression
of
divergent
views
will
now
bring
serious
consequences
to
those
who
do. This
further
crackdown
poses
a
serious
threat
to
democracy
given
that
the
ED
regime
has
decimated
the
opposition
and
silenced
civil
society,
including
trade
unions.
The
crackdown
on
social
media
represents
the
final
nail
in
the
coffin,
as
this
was
the
only
outlet
available
for
the
alternative
of
keeping
the
hopes
for
a
better,
corruption
free,
and
progressive
Zimbabwe
alive.
This
will
no
doubt
affect
diaspora
organisations
such
as
the
Zimbabwe
Vigil
and
ROHR
among
others.
But
however
that
may
hurt
or
disturb
.
.
.
ALUTA!

Events
and
Notices:  

• 
  Next
  Vigil
  meeting
  outside
  the
  Zimbabwe
  Embassy. Saturday
  4^th October
  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.