Zimbabwean activists stage demo at Zimbabwe embassy in London

More than a dozen Zimbabwean Human Rights and political activists belonging to the original ROHR (Restoration of Human Rights) Zimbabwe, MaZimbabweans Yes We Can (MZYWCAN) and MDC-T staged a joint peaceful demonstration at The Zimbabwean Embassy in London on Thursday 30th June, 2016.

According to David Kadzutu of MZYWC (MaZimbabweans Yes We Can), one of the organisers of the demonstration, the demonstration was against the continued human rights abuses by the Mugabe regime. He cited the persecution of human rights and political activists in Zimbabwe by state apparatus, the rampant corruption by senior politicians in the government of Zimbabwe, the demolition of people's homes, the harassment of vendors, the selective application of the law and the general disregard of the Constitution of Zimbabwe by the Zimbabwean Government.

One of the cases specifically cited by the demonstrators, is that of Itai Dzamara, a journalist by profession, and mostly known for his Occupy Africa Unity Square movement and his sustained unequivocal campaign for the resignation of the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe. For being a perceived threat to the continued dictatorial rule of Robert Mugabe, Itai Dzamara was abducted on 9th March, 2015 in Glen View, Harare and has never been seen again since then. The international community, including the UN, the EU and Amnesty International has urged the government of Zimbabwe to investigate the abduction of Itai Dzamara in vain, to date.

The other is that of Stendrick Zvorwadza, the founder of ROHR (Restoration of Human Rights) Zimbabwe and Chairperson of NAVUZ, who together with activists from the human rights outfit "Tajamuka" stormed the Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare on Friday 24th June, 2016 and Sunday 26th June 2016 demonstrating and seeking to pester VP Mphoko until he moved out of the expensive hotel accommodation into a $3.5 million worth house availed by the government of Zimbabwe. Mr Zvorwadza and the rest of the activists involved have been hounded by state apparatus since then and in the case of Mr Zvorwadza, after being detained by the Police, is now being frivolously charged with threatening to burn down the Rainbow Towers hotel.

Mary Muteyerwa, Delina Mutyambizi and Peter Sidindi, the other of the organisers of the demonstration echoed the same sentiments as David Kadzutu but added, more specifically, how they were saddened by the fact that the people of Zimbabwe in general were under siege from a brutal regime and how, save for a few activists, the people of Zimbabwe seemed to have accepted their fate, albeit in the context of learnt hopelessness.

The demonstrators had three petitions to which they solicited signatures from members of the public. One of the petitions was directed at the SADC and the AU simultaneously whilst the other two were directed at the Government of the United Kingdom and the European Union respectively.

Lorraine Mudjgiwa of ROHR (Restoration of Human Rights) Zimbabwe, who was part of the demonstration had this to say;- "I find it very hard to stomach the fact that our government postures as a beacon of democracy to the outside world whilst it is a monster to its citizens and that the sad Zimbabwean saga is no longer in the limelight of the international media, despite the fact that there has not been any meaningful change in Zimbabwe for over three decades."

Grace Makoni of the MDC-T summarised the Zimbabwean scenario by citing Dr Alex Magaisa's recent article "Welcome to the "rule of law": Made in Zimbabwe" . She said she was fascinated by the fact that, quoting  Dr Alex Magaisa,  "... even an authoritarian regime can proudly claim to be an adherent to the rule of law whilst at the same time mutilating it".

The demonstrators, who also included Mildred Guzura, Egster Chemusora, Chipo Kamhunga, Patricia Chingozha, Sibongile Bvungidzire and Bridget Mupotsa dispersed after mid-day when the Zimbabwean Embassy was closing for the day.