Tables turned – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary

People running away in fear: it must have seemed like old times for Zanu PF Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa.

Except this time it was the former CIO agent and director of the ZBC who was doing the running when he arrived with Embassy flunkies to give a talk at the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House in London on Tuesday (16^th September).

A group from the Vigil was ready for Deputy Foreign Minister Mutsvangwa with our twelve foot banner ‘No to Mugabe, No to Starvation’ and posters such as: ‘No to Mugabe Stooge Christopher Mutsvangwa’. ‘No to Stolen Elections’, ‘No to Mugabe Mafia’ and ‘Free and Fair Elections in Zimbabwe’. Another poster recorded Mugabe’s latest racist rant: ‘Kick out remaining Whites’.

The Mutsvangwa group tried to avoid us by sneaking into Chatham House through a side door. But Vigil demonstrators got there first and blocked Mutsvangwa’s entry, demanding to know what he was doing in London representing an illegal regime. By the time he got into the building he was visibly shaken.

Chatham House, influenced by a ZANU PF sympathiser on their payroll who poses as an impartial academic, takes every opportunity to invite Mugabe representatives to tell the world how wonderful he is. They might like to know a bit more about Deputy Foreign Minister Mutsvangwa.

He was, for instance, not at all diplomatic when he launched a reign of terror against opposition supporters after unsuccessfully standing for Zanu PF in Norton in the 2008 elections. Several people died at the hands of mobs he personally directed. In addition to setting up torture bases, he was also accused of involvement in illegal diamond deals.

All in all, Mr Mutsvangwa is not an ideal candidate to put Chatham House straight about Zimbabwe. They might be interested to read the following:

·         ‘Mutsvangwa is reported to have ordered the CID to arrest (Costa) Matete and his partners. The Homicide Squad detectives are said to have taken Mateta and two others to Granville Cemetery on the outskirts of Harare, where they brutally tortured them and shot them to death’.

·         Gibson Nyandoro was summoned ‘to a kangaroo court chaired by Mutsvangwa… His body was discovered floating in a local dam a few days later’.

·         Moses Mutandwa . . . ‘was heavily assaulted with sticks under the feet and all over the body’.

·         Chris Kakanga . . . ‘savagely assaulted with steel bars and logs until he sustained a fractured arm and leg’.

·         John Kwangware ‘said his left eye is permanently damaged as they allegedly tried to remove it’.

·         David Mupandasekwa . ‘the mob hauled him blindfolded to a place where CIO agents heavily assaulted him and left him for dead’.

·         Theresa Kamasula . . . ‘Was taken into the tent and subjected to terrible assault and torture. The youths threatened to kill her if they wanted. She was told they had orders from Mutsvangwa to ‘kill’ and it was up to them either to kill or spare her life’.

(See: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/614-background-to-christoph-mutsvangwa).

Thanks to Cephas Maswoswa who led the dancing and singing with an energy fuelled by anger at the treatment meted out to ordinary Zimbabwean by a callous regime which only got into power through a massively rigged election.

With him were Lipi Mhlope, Patricia Maromo, Patricia Masambe, Fungisai Mupandira, Tendai Chadehambe, Fungayi Mabhunu and Rose Benton who came to the protest at very short notice.

Thanks to Epiphania Phiri, Hilda Gwesele and Roda Majoni who came early to the Vigil today to help set up.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.

FOR THE RECORD: 29 signed the register.