News / National
'Don't recognise stolen election Diaspora demo' on Saturday
07 Aug 2013 at 07:28hrs | Views
As the trade union in Zimbabwe supports the MDC-T's call for an audit of the recent election and as a second Zimbabwe Electoral Commissioner resigns, Zimbabweans in the diaspora are joining hands across party lines for a demonstrate this Saturday (10) to bring international attention to the stolen election.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has joined the chorus by demanding a rerun of the election and Professor Jeff Feltoe reportedly told President Robert Mugabe in a letter that he was returning to his job at the University of Zimbabwe where he is a law lecturer.
His resignation came days after another lawyer, Mr Mkhululi Nyathi, threw in the towel citing what he described as the unprofessional manner the elections were conducted.
And Botswana has become the first SADC country to break ranks with the other countries and express concern that Zimbabwe's vote on July 31 had not measured up to Southern African Development Community (SADC) guidelines.
Jacob Zuma's own deputy Minister of International Affairs Ebrahim Ebrahim has also been quoted saying: SADC did not say that the Zimbabwean election was fair, nor did it say it was credible - just free.
Now organisations in the UK, including the Movement for Democratic Change, the Vigil, ROHR and the Zimbabwe Association have joined hands to also demand a re-run of the election, and they are calling on Zimbabwean churches, pressure groups and any other organisations, or just families, to also join them in London on Saturday for a demonstration outside the Zimbabwean Embassy.
MDC Birmingham Branch met resolved at their monthly Meeting on Sunday to hold the demonstration as soon as possible against the fraudulent election that was witnessed on 31 July 2013 in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Vigil has been holding demonstrations outside the Embassy every Saturday for 10 years demanding free and fair elections, and ROHR (Restoration of Human Rights) is a pressure group demanding human rights. Its Ephraim Tapa, has confirmed Rohrs participation and called on all members to attend on Saturday.
Officials of the Zimbabwe Association in Birmingham also said they would be attending, and urged their members UK-wide to attend the demonstrations. As a result Birmingham Branch has decided to lay on transport, with participants paying £10 to defray the expenses for the bus.
Churches organisations and Zimbabweans at large are also being asked to come together and hold a big demonstration on the issue of the stolen election which is of national concern.
"We are saying no matter what organisation you belong to, or if you don't belong to any, we cannot allow our destiny to be decided by an election that was stolen in front of people's eyes, so we are also calling on the international community not to recognize whatever Mugabe decides to do tomorrow.
"If he goes ahead and installs himself as President on Friday the international community should not recognise that government," said Karonga.
"We in the diaspora are standing together in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe who played their party in going to vote but their vote did not count.
"We appreciate the solidarity we have so far received from America, Britain and Australia, and our own brothers in Botswana who have broken ranks with the rest of SADC to call for a scrutiny of the election.
"But we want the whole world to know that that government in Zimbabwe is not legitimate, and they should not recognise it."
He also said retribution by ZANU PF had started in Zimbabwe and there was need to support opposition supporters who were being victimized. We need to support them, financially and legally, especially now that there is no more MDC in government and human rights abuses are likely to worsen.
For More Information: Makusha Mugabe, MDC-UK Midlands North +44(0)750 332 2919, czeditornew@gmail.com
Source - Makusha Mugabe, MDC-UK Midlands North
