300 MDC members demonstrate in London

By Lance Guma
05 March 2007

Over 300 members of the Movement for Democratic Change converged on the Zimbabwean Embassy in London on Saturday for what the party described as its biggest protest ever. The demonstrators marched from Trafalgar Square in the city centre to the embassy offices, which were shut on the day. Ephraim Tapa, the chairman of the MDC UK province, told Newsreel the objective of the protest was to show their disapproval of Mugabe’s plan to extend his term of office from 2008 to 2010 via the harmonisation of parliamentary and presidential elections. He said the move showed the regime took people for granted.

Tapa says they also took the opportunity to raise awareness amongst members of the international community on the situation back home and hopefully get help in resolving the crisis. He said Saturday’s action showed that they had the drive and coordination to support the struggle back in Zimbabwe. This he said would be done in the form of financial support and the placing of pressure on regional and international groups.
Speakers during the demonstration included Jaison Matewu the party’s organising secretary, Jameson Mashakada MDC UK youth chairman and Adella Chiminya-Mutero the Chairperson of the Women’s Assembly.

UK Labour MP Sally Keeble also addressed the protesters and pledged support in the House of Commons for any measures that would help bring about a solution to Zimbabwe’s problems. According to the editor of ChangeZimbabwe.com Makusha Mugabe the venue ‘rang out with drumming and MDC slogans as the crowd, joined by hundreds of Londoners, chanted and danced their frustrations away in perfect weather which surprised all and made the day a lovely one.’
Meanwhile the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) says it will hold a solidarity demonstration at the Zimbabwean High Commission in support of a strike called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). The ZCTU has called for a countrywide stay away between the 3-4 April. Bongani Masuku COSATU’s International Secretary said although COSATU recognises ‘the heroic role played by the Zimbabwe government and people in the liberation of our country,’ it did not mean, ‘that COSATU will close its eyes when President Mugabe's government tramples on workers' and human rights whilst blaming all his country's problems to imperialists.’