Saturday 28 August 2021

Walk for Freedom 2021 - A Personal Account

I left Newcastle and travelled all the way to Brighton Sussex on Friday 20/08/2021 together with my wife and two children. The journey was too long and very tiring but inspiring. The four of us left around 1400 hrs and arrived in Brighton at 2300 hrs It took us this long as the road had so many diversions and bumper to bumper traffic jams.

My children were very excited because they were also members of the "Walk for Freedom". The walk was to start from Brighton Pier to London on foot. This walk was organised by ZHRO.org UK championed by Rashiwe Bayisayi and John Burke, founding members of ZHRO.

For me it was the best moment to raise awareness that people are suffering the oppression and repressive governance in Zimbabwe under president E D Mnangagwa.This also involves the time  that I spent in detention at Colnbrookfor the whole of July 2021.

Zimbabweans are being rounded up and thrown into detentions, suffering illnesses as these places are so filthy. When I left detention on bail I found the need to raise this awareness as much as I can until charter flights are stopped. The Home Office UK has agreed to work with a rogue government of Zimbabwe. Putting our lives at risk of torture and murder.

On This day Saturday 21/08/2021 we met all the participants at 06:30 hrs to start our Walk for Freedom campaign. This was my first longest walk of my life. It was full of energy and joy as we all left the Brighton Pier for London. John Burke was very adamant that all the participants can manage the first segment of the walk to the resting point. Surely, this first segment was really heavy as the foot paths and terrains were uphill. We met with the logistics crew at the end and we all had drinks and fruit. I was very much happy that we sang and danced to encourage each other and showed solidarity that deportations and charter flights have no place in our hearts.
70km stage at 3:00am Guildford



The campaign resumed and we all set off. We cut through paddocks and fields as the footpaths meanders, twisting and inclining. My children walked the 38km stretch absolutely at ease and I felt for them to join with the logistics team.

The number of participants started dwindling as the campaign was heating up and it was night time. We had few other resting points before we entered Guildford in Surrey. Here we met with the logistics as usual and we had our snacks with hot drinks and the time was around 0300hrs on Sunday.

The Walk for Freedom resumed and we left Guildford and followed the river in darkness. I felt a bit worn out. my under foot started prickling like there were some thorns piercing me through. I was so determined to reach the finishing point at the same time. What I needed most was to send a message to the Home Office that deporting people to Zimbabwe is against humanity. These charter flights must be stopped immediately and breaking families apart is a complete violation of human rights under the ECHR.

Moses Finishes
When the night began to fade away I could feel more energy in my body that we were almost getting to the final destination of the campaign. We followed the river along, then we met with the first dog walkers and all the people began to chat as we had long stretches walking silently. We reached a resting point and I was told now that we were setting off for the last segment.This walk benefits not only the participants but all Zimbabweans that fall into these despicable deportations.

The weather was so good that we walked the whole day and the whole night. It was now around 10h30 and we and the last part were marred by cyclists and joggers. However we carried on until we crossed over the bridge that marked the end of our "Walk for Freedom".  I was very excited and so was everyone as we all met at the  train station at Hampton Court in jubilation. I want to thank the organisers, the logistics crew and all the participants, not forgetting my two children that walked the 38 km stretch.

They are real warriors chanting Stop Charter Flights and Stop Deportations slogan. By Moses Mbano

Monday 16 August 2021

Women 'In Power' why are you Silent?

Women in power please speak out.

By Vimbai Mamombe
 

Memory Machaya, a child who was giving birth

The death of Memory Machaya, a child who was giving birth at an Apostolic shrine in the Manicaland area of Zimbabwe has caused much a heart ache to mothers, women, and some men in Zimbabwe.
Mrs Auxilia Mnangagwa the wife of the current Zimbabwean president and the leader of the Zanu PF regime has not said a word in that regard. It’s just difficult to imagine a 14-year-old girl being violated by an adult man night after night after night. Imagining this will get any mother’s stomach to turn.
Where is Oppah Muchinguri and the many women who are in parliament who can defend the rights of the girl child. Memory Machaya is not the only girl to fall fate to these faith-based settings but getting her justice is symbolic and paves a way to the protection of the girl child. 

It has been said the matter is under investigation which it should be but there is no need for silence on such a matter. While investigations are said to be going on let’s begin to talk, lobby, advocate and send a clear message to paedophiles that this is unacceptable in the Zimbabwean community. Zimbabwean leaders, fathers, mothers that sit in parliament and have all these important tiles that have been bestowed on them by the people of Zimbabwe ‘how long will our girls be vulnerable and exploited in such ways’.

It is not new that a blind eye has been turned or feet are dragged to abuse of women under the Zanu PF watch. Many atrocious things have been done to women by the Zanu PF abusive machine. Noting Cecilia, Joanna and Netsai who were made to eat each other’s faeces and drink the other’s urine. One of the girls also had a gun shoved up their annal passage and off course there were police investigations, and no one was ever brought to book. Will justice then be served for this young girl.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/17/zimbabwean-mdc-activists-abducted-and-sexually-assaulted

The torture of Jestina Mukoko remains firmly on the Zanu PF watch and no one was ever brought to book. The killing of Mrs Chiroto remains very sad. Off course the police investigations never brought anyone to book. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/jestina-mukoko-mugabe-s-henchmen-came-for-me-before-dawn-1418260.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/2151048/Zimbabwe-Wife-of-Harare-mayor-murdered.html

 Mrs Mnangagwa herself is fully aware of how ruthless the Zanu PF system can be to women and this can be is signified by her conversation with General Murombo where she begged to have her life spared. The greatest plea to Mrs Mnangagwa is please stand up for the girl child and let justice prevail for Memory and the many girls who suffer abuse. 

https://www.zimlive.com/2019/07/19/auxillia-mnangagwa-says-sorry-to-military-chiefs-after-42-minute-phone-rant-report/

Women in Zimbabwe continue to be abused as they are the bulk of teachers, nurses and civil service who continue to offer their services for mere peanuts. Many women go to work in the Zanu PF led government and at the end of the month they cannot feed their families or pay their bills. The level of abuse in sad and it continues at an unprecedented rate. 

When are the women with influence in Zimbabwe going to make a change for other women that are less privileged to protect the future generation of women? 

The issue of women and girls abuses in Zimbabwe is a highly political matter and should be treated as such. It is political as the Zimbabwean government has been known to flex their muscles to protect their interests. They also need to flex their muscles and protect women and girls in Zimbabwe.

Sunday 8 August 2021

Just How are Forced Removals Being Assessed in the UK?

 LBC Radio {London}, With David Lammy, dicusses the injustice of the Home Office and their 'notion' and [false] claim to rid the UK of criminals - meaning "Foreign Criminals" only. At least they are not shipping criminals to Australia - but let's not tempt fate!

The MP David Lammy is talking with Jamaican's who are scheduled for forced removal on the 11th August 2021 on yet another "deportation Flight".

LBC David Lammy MP 

         
4th August 2021 Zimbabwe Embassy - 72 people protest

No to forced removals of Zimbabweans. 

With 150 Zimbabweans now being detained for mostly just being in the complex asylum process. The British Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe appears to have targeted 50 forced removals per "flight". On what basis it is not clear.

The first 14 removed on an Air Bus A380 arrived in the capital Harare on the morning of the 22nd July 2021 and were mercilessly paraded by the Zanu PF sponsored State TV Channel ZBC.

This was clearly a propaganda exercise to "demonstrate" how fairly these first 14 will be treated. Future removals one suspects may not get this "red-carpet" treatment

Members of the two main political parties in Zimbabwe, namely MDCA [Movement for Democratic Change Alliance], ZAPU [Zimbabwe African People's Union], plus the Human Rights groups ROHR [Restoration Of Human Rights - Zimbabwe] and ZHRO [Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation], plus several Church Groups were encouraged to attend this and other demonstrations in the future to Fight the Mass Forced Removals of Zimbabwenas in the Diaspora.

Contributions by:

  • Vimbai Mamombe
  • John Burke
  • Shamiso Moyo 
  • ZHRO Marketing Team
  • ROHR Panyika Karimanzera
  • ROHR Nicholate Gwati

Friday 6 August 2021

Testimony of a Family broken by Deportation "Deal"

 

When with this family be whole again?

On the 4th August 2021 Outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, The Strand, London WC2, Daisy brought her three children to a demonstrations to protest about the seemingly arbitary removal of 100 Zimbabweans per month. [see photo of the family - childrens images pixelated out their faces to ensure anonymity]

In an apparent "deal" between the British Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, and we assume the Zanu PF led "government", 100 Zimbabweans in the UK will be targeted by the UK Home Office and forcibly removed from the UK to the 'hell-hole' known as Zimbabwe. 

Although those few at the head of the cabal live a life-of-luxury - able to import a $700,000 Rolls Royce as an example. At the same time nurses are being paid £35 per month and all medical support funds are being systematically looted by the elite within the top echelon of Zanu PF.



Daisy and her children 4th Aug 2021



So we need to know if this family will be whole again.

Fight the Flight(s)

Open response to Dr Masimba Mavaza


Dr, Sir,

Thank you for allowing the main groups who arranged the perfectly legal protest outside the Zimbabwean Embassy on the 4th August 2021 to garner more publicity regarding our concerns.

Therefore, let us begin by saying you are clearly not aware of the reasons why Zimbabweans were demonstrating, or you are pretending to be unaware in order to create a false narrative against the MDCA, ZAPU and the ROHR, ZHRO Human Rights pressure groups in the UK. Whatever the number of people that are attending a demonstration they must be heard whether one or a thousand. So stating the number of people demonstrating is not the issue.

One of our reasons was about the planned removals and deportations of a ‘target’ [set by the British Embassy in Harare – and we presume Zanu PF] of 100 Zimbabweans per month. The reasons for a [tiny minority] of deportations were for high level criminal offences. However, on further detailed analysis it was noted that the ‘forced-removals’ were [mainly] for visa related issues and the consequences of the UK’s complex, convoluted and expensive asylum processes.

The groups that demonstrated on the 4th of August were very clear on their stance which is that everyone should be given due process. Yes murderers, rapists and child molesters should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We were not defending their crimes.

Zimbabwe remains an unsafe destination due to the ruling Zanu PF cabal, and all the ‘captured’ state institutions, such as the Army, Police, Electoral commission and the Judiciary to name but a few. The Zanu PF party has a “psychosis” in that it needs to have all Zimbabweans swear allegiance to the ‘Party’ – but if you cannot, then your life, property etc are at considerable risk of harm, injury, torture, rape, etc [see reports from the US Embassy in Harare, and Amnesty International.]

https://zw.usembassy.gov/2020-human-rights-report-zimbabwe/

“Significant human rights issues included: unlawful or arbitrary killings of civilians by security forces; torture and arbitrary detention by security forces; cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; political prisoners or detainees; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; serious government restrictions on free expression, press, and the internet, including violence, threats of violence, or unjustified arrests or prosecutions against journalists, censorship, site blocking, and the existence of criminal libel laws; substantial interference with the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; restrictions on freedom of movement; restrictions on political participation; widespread acts of corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for violence against women; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting women and girls, and the existence of laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, although not enforced.”

“Impunity remained a problem. The government took very few steps to identify or investigate officials who committed human rights abuses, and there were no reported arrests or prosecutions of such persons.”

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/africa/zimbabwe/report-zimbabwe/

“The authorities used COVID-19 regulations to justify severe restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. They deployed security forces to abduct, assault and torture perceived critics, and opposition members and leaders. Police and security agents killed at least 10 people. Women were denied access to essential maternal health care, and violence against women and girls was widespread.”

“A joint team comprised of agents of the police, military, the Central Intelligence Organisation, and the Office of the President, known as the “Ferret Team”, terrorized government critics, opposition leaders and activists, and their family members. Many, including several members of the main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance (MDC-A), were abducted from police custody, tortured and dumped far from their homes.”

 

However, Dr Mavaza ignores the obvious failings of Zanu PF and the subsequent inhumane conditions that have been created as the reasons of the demonstrations. Akin to Mnangagwa as it appears, he too has a very selective memory.

https://www.facebook.com/1714941312061233/posts/3093075370914480/ 

 

Of course to the learned doctor, places like the leaking sewage in Mbare are not important to him as he has never set foot there as he is dipping his hands into the bottomless Zanu PF’s pocket which never reaches to the masses but is a privilege of the select few like himself. The fact that Zanu PF is so corrupt that a nurse earns £35 a month while the mineral wealth is being looted to fund people like him who know well the wickedness of Zanu PF and will continue to support it. Which Zimbabwe is horrified and why, is speaking the truth about Zimbabwe equated to vilification? Is this creating a narrative to support Zanu PF or the learned Dr is beginning to believe his own propaganda. Yaa, that’s what happens if you repeat lies too long you will begin to believe them yourself.

Zanu PF is known for splashing cars and money to people in order to get them to support them. POLAD opposition leaders, clergy, comedians and reporters were given cars and some cash because Zanu PF came to a realisation that everyone has a price tag.

WELL not everyone has a price tag. Is it surprising to see someone travel to a demonstration at their own cost because they believe in the cause? It is very insulting to every Zimbabwean who will fund their own cause to have you generalise that every MDC A supporter or human rights activist has to be paid to do a bidding for John Burke.

We are all volunteers, Dr Mavaza, no-one has been paid.

The reason that the demonstration was done at the Zimbabwean embassy was perhaps the demonstrators were saying Zimbabwe is unsafe because activists like Hopewell, Mako, Joanna, Cecilia, Netsai and others have been incarcerated for exposing the truth. The likes of Itai Dzamara and others are still missing for simply speaking out, Tonderai Ndira you knifed to death. There has been no commission of enquiry set up for the 1980s Matabeleland massacres, there are no answers for the many who were maimed during and after the 2003 and 2008 elections. Don’t ever dupe yourself and think that the Ndebele people have forgotten, they are equal Zimbabweans deserving equal treatment like any other Zimbabweans. Villagers continue to be displaced for the benefit of political gurus so why should there be no demonstrations at the Zimbabwean embassy in London to say these things.

Dr Mavaza claims that the Zimbabwean Embassy offered non-judgemental support and practical support to the families, well how they did that is not clear. What is clear as quoted from Zim Eye is that 4 individuals were singled out by Mr Katsande as he refused to sign their Emergency Travel Documents [ETD’s are signed at the Embassy – perhaps that’s why we were there?]. So much for impartiality. While Zimbabwe makes no judgements regarding the deportations, Mr Katsande can single out which travel documents to sign and which ones not to sign. So, by inference from your statement Dr, Mr Katsande represents ED Mnangagwa [ED] meaning that it is ED who decided to single out 4 people and stop their deportation. That is the long hand of corruption from Harare right into 429 The Strand, London.

So people will continue to speak out as long as there is corruption that leaves nurses and teachers unpaid, as long as sewage continues to flow down streets and walls, as long as the hospitals continue to have no medication, people will continue to speak. As long as corruption is being peddled in the corridors of power through proxies like Kuda Tagwirei who has his boys shipping Rolls Royce on a cargo plane back to Zimbabwe on the back-drop of a total cost of USD770 000.00. And of course, Zimbabweans should cower and stay in their homes or if they do turn up, blame John Burke for funding demos. Shameful. Let’s deal with the speck in John Burke’s eye and leave the log in Zanu PF. Epic how the bible describes your writing Dr!!!!!!!

The activists are also lobbying for the adoption of a clear picture of Zimbabwe, not the sugar coated Zanu PF political rhetoric.

One only has to read the assessments by Amnesty International, United Nations, the US embassy in Harare [Quoted and referenced above] and all the reports in the UK media to understand how sickening the situation in Zimbabwe is. And of course, Zimbabweans that have something to offer in the UK should be considered for leave. Why does Zanu PF crave people to be in Zimbabwe, yet they do not even have a single state hospital that is adequately funded nor are they paying doctors and nurses a living wage.

No one demonstrating against Zanu PF is a paid mercenary. Since the Dr knows how that works and he himself is a paid mercenary he is aiding and abetting the destruction of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans through 41 years of misrule and looting.

There is clear evidence that all Zimbabwe’s woes are inflicted by the Zanu PF cabal who laughingly call themselves a government and the Dr, is an apologist for the joke government. ROHR, ZHRO, MDCA, ZAPU and other activists cannot “soil Zanu PF”, it has done that on its own with the assistance of their crude use of violence, corruption, intolerance and continued rigging of the elections.

Why is it so difficult for the government of Zimbabwe to pay nurses and teachers a living wage when their ministers can afford to be airlifted out of the country for medical treatment? Why are the roads and infrastructure a total disaster while state of the art cars are bought for the clergy, comedians and political puppets?

So is the Dr oblivious to all this or he is pretending to be ignorant in order to push a narrative. 

Lastly MDCA did not aid rapists and murderers but as always, they advocated for everyone to get due process. As you stated that those that wanted their cases heard should appeal to the British Government through the courts, that’s due process. So we really wonder what you are on about, except a failed attempt to create a political narrative and advance Zanu PF propaganda. That is what activists lobbied for. So it’s simple, everyone is entitled to due process something that is alien to Zanu PF and its enablers like the Dr, who believe everyone opposing Zanu PF should be frog marched to ‘shamhu ine munyu’ without any due process.

By the way, it was also the same group [organised by MDCA, ZAPU, ROHR and ZHRO] that were also there [at the Zimbabwe Embassy] on the 19th July 2021 – and their subsequent protests outside the Home Office [and handed over a petition document], Protests were carried out on the same day at Parliament Square, and finally outside 10 Downing Street, where our speeches were piped into Parliament to assist with the debate on all asylum seekers being conducted [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-07-19/debates/C87C5848-DF11-4B03-90FE-39FA245CB12D/AmnestyForUndocumentedMigrants

 

Signed on behalf of the many true Zimbabweans in the diaspora.

With the support in our objectives from:

 


1.       Diane Abbott  MP

2.       Zarah Sultana MP

3.       Lord Peter Hain

4.       Mark Serwotka,  General Secretary PCS

5.       WAST

6.       REFUGEE ACTION

7.       RAPAR

8.       GMIAU

9.       STATUS NOW FOR ALL

10.   FIRST WEDNESDAY

11.   LISG

12.   MCR NO BORDERS

13.   SOCIAL ACTION UNITE

14.   Fresh Grassroots Rainbow community

15.   ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People's Union(

16.   MDC-A (Movement for Democratic Change Alliance)

17.   ACTSA

18.   Artists' Union England

19.   Black and Asian Lawyers for Justice

20.   Cardiff Peoples Assembly

21.   Racial Justice Network

22.   Migrant Voice

23.   Channel Rescue

24.   Voices4 London

25.   Migrants in Culture

26.   New Queers on the Block

27.   performingborders

28.   SOAS Detainee Support

29.   Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

30.   Zimbabwe Human Rights Organization (ZHRO)

31.   Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants (LGSMigrants)

32.   Right To Remain

33.   Voice for Voiceless Immigration Detainees Yorkshire

34.   BARAC UK

35.   Actors For Human Rights

36.   Bail for Immigration Detainees

37.   Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants


 

Plus many other groups for the 'Indefinite Leave To Remain' for people who are undocumented, destitute, and those in the legal process #HealthAndSafetyForAll

https://statusnow4all.org/signatory-organisations-to-the-status-now-campaign/