On a warm Spring day many friends from the past came and joined us. So many marriages and relationships have been formed through the Vigil.  The children with us today were a testimony to this. Thanks to Francesca Toft for entertaining them (and stopping them wandering into the road . . .) 

We are always amazed by the efforts some people make to get to us. Netty Marozva caught an overnight coach from Glasgow and was there to help us set up the Vigil. She went home on another overnight coach. Susan Chechita from Liverpool once again boarded a coach at 6.30 in the morning to be with us. It was also good to welcome Caroline Witts from Devon despite her anxious swotting for her GCSE Spanish exam. 

Following the comments about the failure of the inclusive government by Lovemore Matombo of the ZCTU at our meeting last week, Vigil supporters discussed their anxieties about the state of the MDC leadership. There was surprise at the reported comments by the Deputy Prime Minister, Thokozani Khupe of the MDC, that everything was wonderful in the diamond fields of Marange. She went there with Vice President John Nkomo although the Parliamentary Committee looking into the enterprise had been refused access. Finance Minster Tendai Biti says the Treasury has seen no benefit from the diamonds but Mrs Khupe was apparently full of praise for Mines Minister, Osbert Mpofu. She was quoted as saying "There was a lot of speculation in Cabinet about what was happening at Chiadzwa and Cde Mpofu was the lonely voice concerning mining activities here. We are very grateful for what we saw and we will be good ambassadors from now onwards." See http://www.theindependent.co.zw/opinion/26221-muckraker-municipal-police-need-their-wings-clipped.html.  

Talking about ambassadors we were sickened by a fawning missive from Trudy Stephenson of the MDC who is now Ambassador to Senegal. Writing about a visit there by President Mugabe she says: “It was a great honour to host him at the Residence”. We realise that she has to be polite to our illegitimate head of state but her schoolgirl gushing suggested she has quite forgotten the nature of this monster and the appalling waste of money for our bankrupt country of his visit to Senegal and indeed the existence of her Embassy anyway.

We were equally bemused by Graca Machel’s comment that the UK should shut up about Zimbabwe. We have been outside the Embassy every Saturday for nearly eight years come rain or shine and won’t be told to shut up by someone who was refused permission to visit Zimbabwe by Mugabe when the so-called ‘Elders’ including former US President Jimmy Carter wanted to look at the situation there. We suggest she shuts up. Check: http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/zimvoice230410.htm – Zim Voice of Democracy: ‘A big thank you to Britain’.

What we say is that we are very worried about the MDC in Zimbabwe being absorbed by ZanuPF and want an end to this coalition government and free elections as soon as possible. See: http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/heart220410.htm. Heart of the Matter, by Tanonoka Joseph Whande: ‘The MDC must start afresh now without Mugabe and ZANU-PF’.

Thanks to Vigil stalwarts Gladys Mapanda, Josephine Zhuga and Godfrey Madzunga for manning both tables, helping to set up and pack up and making sure the Vigil ran smoothly through the afternoon.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check the link at the top of the home page of our website.  For earlier ZimVigil TV programmes check:  http://www.zbnnews.com/home/firingline. 

FOR THE RECORD: 153 signed the register. 

EVENTS AND NOTICES:
·       ROHR Glasgow relaunch meeting. Saturday 1^st May from 1.30 – 5.30. Venue: Woodside Hall, 36 Glendarg Street, Glasgow, G20 7QE. ROHR Executive present to talk about the current issues in Zimbabwe and the UK.  Contact Kuda Mupunga 07940254328, Gugu Ncube 07534574763, Rugare Chifungo (Northern Coordinator) 07795070609, P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070
·       London Citizens and CITIZENS UK pre-election assembly with David Cameron, Nick Clegg and hopefully Gordon Brown. Monday 3^rd May from 3 – 5 pm. Doors open 2 pm – to be seated by 2.45 pm. Venue: Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London SW1H 9NH.  On the agenda is the Sanctuary Pledge (calling for an end to child detention and more support for people seeking sanctuary), Strangers into Citizens and the Living Wage. For tickets contact Eunita Masolo, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: 07949 736 222. The organizers would like a big turn-out of Zimbabweans.
·       ROHR Woking Branch 1st Anniversary Party. Saturday 8^th May from 3 – 10 pm. Venue: St Pauls Church Hall, Oriental Road, Woking GU22 7BD. Raffle for two hampers to be won. Tickets £6 adults £3.00 kids which includes entry and meal. Contact:  Mr Mudzamiri 07774044873, Jermaine 07908522992, Sithokozile 07886203113 or P Mapfumo 07915326323/07932216070.
·       ROHR Liverpool Demonstration. Saturday 8^th May from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Church Street (Outside Primark) Liverpool City Centre. For details please contact: Desire Chimuka 07917733711, Anywhere Mungoyo 07939913688, Trywell Migeri 07956083758. Next demonstration on Saturday 22^nd May. Same venue and time. 
·       ROHR Cambridge fundraising event. Saturday 22^nd May from 4 – 10 pm. Venue: Arbury Community Centre, Campkin Road, Cambridge CB4 2LD. African music, food and drinks hobho. Entrance fee £10 including food. Contact: Jospheth Hapazari 07782398725, Locadia Mugari 07501304116, Sibusisiwe Bafana 07765268622, Percy Marimba 07894670271 or P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070
·       ROHR West Bromwich Branch fundraising event. Saturday 29th May from 1 – 11pm. Venue: St Peters Church Hall, Whitehall Rd, West Bromwich B70 0HF. Admission £8.00 including food and drink. Contact: Pamela Dunduru 07958386718, Diana Mtendereki 07768682961, Peter Nkomo  07817096594, Godwin Kativu 07576994816 or P Chibanguza  07908406069
·       ROHR Northampton General Meeting. Saturday 5^th June at 2 pm. Venue:  Carey Memorial Baptist Church, King Street, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8QL.  ROHR executive members present and guest speakers. Contact: Marshall Rusike 07833787775,Wadzanayi Mpandawana 07717795574, Gladys Milanzi  07846 448 711, Norian Chindowa 07954379426, Sherry Ngaseke 07869295544 Or P Mapfumo 07915 926 323 / 07932 216 070.
·       Swaziland Vigil. Saturdays from 10 am – 1 pm. Venue: Swazi High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.  Please support our Swazi friends. Nearest stations: St James’s Park and Victoria. For more information check: www.swazilandvigil.co.uk.
·       Zimbabwe Association’s Women’s Weekly Drop-in Centre. Fridays 10.30 am – 4 pm. Venue: The Fire Station Community and ICT Centre, 84 Mayton Street, London N7 6QT, Tel: 020 7607 9764. Nearest underground: Finsbury Park. For more information contact the Zimbabwe Association 020 7549 0355 (open Tuesdays and Thursdays).
·       Strategic Internship for Zimbabweans organised by Citizens for Sanctuary which is trying to secure work placements for qualified Zimbabweans with refugee status or asylum seekers. For information: http://www.citizensforsanctuary.org.uk/pages/Strategic.html or contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  .