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