Zimbabwe Vigil Diary 17th January 2026

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/55046964807/sizes/m/

Thanks
to
those
who
came
today:
Tadiwa
Chinyanganya,
Blessing
Harry,
Jonathan
Kariwo,
Philip
Maponga,
Patricia
Masamba,
Tanaka
Mutukwa,
Samantha
Pfupajena,
Ephraim
Tapa
and
Tatenda
Tsumba.
Photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72177720331517587/.

On
15
January
2026,
Uganda
went
to
the
polls
to
elect
its
president
and
parliamentary
representatives. This
followed
a
spirited
campaign
from
the
opposition
movement,
with
tens
of
thousands
attending
each
of
their
rallies,
far
more
than
compared
to
the
crowds
attracted
by
the
octogenarian
President
Museveni.

It
would
appear
the
massive
show
of
support
irked
the
President
and
his
son,
General
Muhozi,
as
they
deployed
every
trick
in
the
book
to
thwart
the
people’s
will.
Opposition
supporters
were
arbitrarily
arrested,
intimidated,
and
threatened
while
opposition
leader
Bobi
Wine
was
repeatedly
harassed,
blocked,
and
terrorised
by
armed
authorities
as
he
crisscrossed
the
country
in
campaigns.

Days
before
the
election,
the
Internet
was
shut
down
nationally.
The
voting
process
itself
was
marred
by
technical
glitches,
unexplained
delays,
and
voter
manipulation,
among
other
things.

Amid
allegations
of
massive
rigging
and
rampant
electoral
malpractices,
the
state
controlled
electoral
commission
gave
the
victory
to
Museveni. AU
observers
congratulated
Museveni
whilst
expressing
concern
over
the
dark
cloud
and
manner
in
which
the
election
was
conducted.

All
well-choreographed
to
mirror
the
Zimbabwe
experience. Wither
Africa!

The
international
community
was
not
alone
in
condemning
the
stolen
election,
which
was
also
rightly
condemned
by
vigil
activists. Africa,
like
Zimbabwe,
needs
new
leaders,
a
changed
mindset!

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
  7^th February
  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.