10 February 2007

A special newcomer to the Vigil was Zizi, seven week old baby son of Vigil co-ordinator Dumi and his wife Gugu. Another cause for celebration was their recent marriage. Everyone made a great fuss of the young one and he didn’t cry once. Zizi’s first visit to the Vigil brought an improvement in the weather. London had snow on Thursday but it had all melted by today and the temperature was really quite mild.
First at the Vigil was Juliet from Manchester. She left home at 7 am for her long journey. She told us her asylum claim had been turned down. We are supporting an appeal. Her lawyer, Ana, who is based in London, also came to the Vigil kindly bearing cakes for our supporters. She said Juliet received unkind treatment from the judge who questioned her motive in coming to the Vigil. Well, you can’t win. To our minds Juliet has been a faithful supporter and a genuine human rights activist, as well as a lovely person. It was disturbing to hear from Juliet that her 73 year old sister in Matabeleland is eating only once in two days. Her sister told her “If I get food today I won’t eat tomorrow, I will save it for the day after”. Francesca, our English schoolgirl supporter, was also in touch with Zimbabwe this week. She was surprised when a friend in Zimbabwe mentioned the Vigil and asked him how he knew about it. His reply was “everyone knows about the Vigil.”

The Vigil has a busy time ahead. Next Saturday WOZA Solidarity UK is joining us and we are launching WOZA’s people’s charter in the UK. WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) consulted thousands of people in Zimbabwe at almost 300 meetings to find out what they want in a new Zimbabwe: the result is the people’s charter. WOZA is now asking Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to sign up to this charter. The following Saturday, we have another launch. Viomak, the Zimbabwean protest singer, is releasing her second album “Happy 83rd Birthday President R G Mugabe (bones of a 30 year old)”. She will be singing a song from the album “Mangwanani Baba”. Viomak has invited the Zimbabwean Ambassador, Mr Gabriel Machinga, to come to the Vigil to accept her birthday present to Mugabe. Watch this space! Vigil co-ordinator, Rose, said it was gratifying that the Vigil was being used as a launch vehicle for so many Zimbabwean initiatives. She went on to say we have been asked to support a Trafalgar Square rally organised by ACTSA (previously the anti-Apartheid Movement) on Saturday, 10th March. The rally ties in with International Women’s Day and is focusing on Zimbabwean women. It promises to be a big deal and the Vigil asks all its supporters to encourage everyone to come and make this a big day for Zimbabwe – a day of anguish from the diaspora.

Thanks to Chipo and Luka for all their help in keeping the Vigil running: Chipo for looking after the selling of our t-shirts and sweatshirts and to Luka for distributing information.

For latest Vigil pictures, please see the link in the updates column on the right of this page.

FOR THE RECORD: 65 signed the register.

FOR YOUR DIARY:

 Monday, 12th February, 7.30 pm. Central London Zimbabwe Forum. The speakers are Washington Katema, National Coordinator of Zimbabwe National Students Union and McDonald Lewanika, the Coordinator of Students Solidarity Trust. Upstairs at the Theodore Bullfrog pub, 28 John Adam Street, London WC2 (cross the Strand from the Zimbabwe Embassy, go down a passageway to John Adam Street, turn right and you will see the pub.

 Wednesday, 14th February at 6 pm – an audio-visual presentation of WOZA in action in Bulawayo + speakers. Venue: Room G50, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) Main Building, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG. Nearest tube: Russell Square.

 Saturday, 17th February – special Vigil with WOZA Solidarity UK to launch WOZA’s People’s Charter.

 Saturday, 24th February – Special Vigil to mark the release of Viomak’s Album “Happy 83rd Birthday President R G Mugabe (bones of a 30 year old)”.

 Saturday, 10th March, 1-4 pm – ACTSA rally for Zimbabwe in Trafalgar Square. The Vigil will be manned by a skeleton crew during the two hours the rally overlaps with the Vigil. Mass toy-toy to the Vigil planned at the end of the rally.