The Zimbabwe Vigil, a grouping of activists who have demonstrated in London every Saturday for the past 7 years, says this weekend it will petition European government’s to suspend aid to countries in the SADC region because of their inaction in dealing with problems in Zimbabwe. ‘We urge the UK government and the European Union in general to suspend government to government aid to all 14 SADC countries until they abide by their joint commitment to uphold human rights in the region,’ ZimVigil said in a statement. The group suggested the money be used instead to feed people starving in Zimbabwe.

Members of the vigil will impersonate Mugabe and his wife Grace visiting the famous Harrods shop in London to stock up on luxuries. The impersonation will ‘illustrate what will happen if the sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies are lifted as demanded by Zimbabwe’s neighbours,’ the group said. ‘The couple impersonating the Mugabes will return to the Vigil by rickshaw (two wheeled cart) and present a petition to the European Union demanding punitative action against SADC.’ Other vigil members representing SADC High Commissioners and ambassadors will be there (wearing suitable masks) to welcome them in traditional posture – kneeling at Mugabe’s feet, highlighting their subservience to him.

British Conservative Party Member of the European Parliament for East England, Geoffrey Van Orden, is expected to receive the petition and give a speech on Zimbabwe. The Vigil say thousands of people passing by their Saturday position outside Zimbabwe house on the Strand have signed this petition. As an added incentive to media organisations covering the demonstration, journalists covering the event will be presented with 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar notes which the Vigil described as its ‘Bribery Policy’. The move no doubt is meant to also highlight the corruption prevalent in Zimbabwe.