Mugabe bash faces massive protest

SOCIAL movement, Tajamuka/Sesijikile is organising a massive demonstration to protest against the holding of President Robert Mugabe's 93rd birthday bash in Matobo district, an area that bore the brunt of the Gukurahundi mass killings.

Happyson Ncube, who co-ordinates Tajamuka/Sesijikile activities in Bulawayo, said the social movement was not happy with the holding of the celebrations in Matobo district, adding they were organising a protest on the day of the bash to show their anger and displeasure.

"It is up to us to define the Zimbabwe we want as a generation," he said.

"We will do all what it takes to die for a better, free and just Zimbabwe. We know all demonstrations have been banned, but we will find ways. It is high time all citizens participated in this walk to freedom, unarmed struggle to build a peaceful Zimbabwe."

Ncube described Mugabe's bash, to be held on February 25, as an "unholy celebration", which ought to be stopped.
"We say the unholy celebration will be met by a demonstration," he said.

"We call upon all social movements to come together and collectively fight this regime on the day. The Gambia elections must build confidence in us as citizens."

Tajamuka and other groupings have led numerous demonstrations against the government, prompting authorities to gazette a statutory instrument banning protests last year.

"We are mobilising all Zimbabweans and we know people have been forced to make donations," Ncube continued.
"It is clear that people from Matabeleland do not welcome this celebration, they are victims of Gukurahundi and they need answers."

But Zanu-PF youth league secretary, Kudzi Chipanga told the protesters "to go hang" and find other things to do.
"If they don't have anything to do, let them come and approach our offices so that they can be given agricultural inputs and go to the fields, since the nation has been graced with lots of rains from the Almighty," he quipped.
"With that energy, I believe they will do us proud this coming winter wheat season."

Mugabe is yet to apologise for the killings of an estimated 20 000 civilians in Midlands and Matabeleland by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade during a period the veteran leader later described as a "moment of madness".
Opposition parties and civic society groups had all rallied against plans to hold Mugabe's birthday bash in Matopos National Park, a few kilometres from the Gukurahundi mass graves at Bhalagwe.

The protests saw Zanu-PF changing the venue to Rhodes Estate Preparatory School, infuriating teachers' organisations like the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe that said schools were for learning and not for parties.