Zimbabwe Vigil Diary 21st February 2026

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/55112630549/sizes/m/

Thanks
to
those
who
came
today:
Elizabeth
Chitenga,
Munashe
Madziyauswa,
Chantelle
Manyande,
Philip
Maponga,
Samantha
Pfupajena,
Ephraim
Tapa,
Peter
Tatchell
and
Tatenda
Tsumba.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/albums/72177720332170607.

Zimbabwe
Vigil
activists
were
happy
to
receive
veteran
human
rights
activist,
Peter
Tatchell,
who
made
a
special
visit
as
he
always
does
whenever
he
has
the
chance.

In
buoyant
mood,
Peter
congratulated
the
Vigil,
describing
it
as
arguably
the
longest
campaign
in
British
history. The
Zimbabwe
Vigil,
which
started
in
October
2002,
will
reach
24
years
in
existence
this
year,
a
milestone
achieved
by
few.

Peter
cited
the
resilience,
commitment
and
courage
displayed
by
activists
to
have
come
this
far
commenting,
‘no
dictatorship
stays
forever
and
even
that
of
Mnangagwa
will
fall
one
day’.
He
added,
‘it
only
takes
activists
like
you
to
remain
standing
and
pushing,
giving
those
trapped
in
Zimbabwe
a
voice,
victory
is
yours’.

Poignantly,
Peter
reminded
activists
that
he
had
participated
in
the
1970s
liberation
war,
fundraising
for
ZANU
and
securing
medicare
for
the
ZANLA
cadres,
then
in
the
bush. He
said
it
was
sad
and
hypocritical
that
today’s
ZANU
PF
had
a
strong
aversion/dislike
of
its
1970s
manifesto,
which
had
human
rights
and
democracy
as
central
to
the
war.
In
support,
Vigil
activist
Samantha
Pfupajena
remarked,
‘power
corrupts!’.

Another
Vigil
long-time
activist,
Phillip
Maponga
said,
‘that’s
why
we
remain
standing
here
to
say
no
to
the
2030
agenda’,
which
was
described
as
a
ploy
by
Mnangagwa
to
buy
time
for
his
boys,
so
they
are
in
a
position
to
take
over
at
the
end
of
ED
Mnangagwa’s
reign,
thereby
establishing
the
Mnangagwa
dynasty’.

Peter
ended
his
visit
by
chanting
‘aluta
continua!’

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 March
  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.