Independence Day protests include a march from Joburg to Musina

By Tererai Karimakwenda
10 April, 2008

Zimbabweans in the diaspora are finding creative ways to highlight their plight and to protest the electoral crisis that has continued back home. Independence Day has prompted a series of protests worldwide, with Zimbabweans saying there is nothing to celebrate. There were anti-Mugabe protests at the Zimbabwe Embassies in London and in Pretoria, and a protest march to the border town of Musina.

A group of 45 Zimbabwean exiles living in Johannesburg walked to the border town of Musina and arrived Friday, after a long journey of 530 kilometres. The event was meant to highlight the plight of Zimbabwean exiles in South Africa and to demand that the results of the presidential poll be released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

The march was organised by the Peace and Democracy Movement of Zimbabwe (PDMZ). Acting Project Coordinator Diyani Ncube said they started out from Johannesburg last Saturday, and walked during the daytime only from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm. He said they had police escorts to provide security.

He described it as a tough journey that took its toll on 55 other activists from their organisation who did not make it. He said those who did made it to Musina suffered a variety of injuries, including serious blisters.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Embassy in London was the scene of another demonstration on Friday, making it the 3rd time this week that people gathered there. This time it was a protest organised by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA). Their director Tony Dykes said: “Those who are old enough to support ACTSA’s predecessor, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, campaigned and supported independence and liberation for Zimbabwe and we continue to support democracy for Zimbabwe. That’s why we are here today, on their Independence Day.”
The event was attended by all major trade unions in the UK, members of parliament, The Vigil group and Zimbabweans in London.

In Pretoria, several Zimbabwean groups organized a protest march starting from the centre of town, passing the Union Buildings that house government offices and ending at the Zimbabwean Embassy. Gabriel Shumba from the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum said at least 1,000 participants were present for this Independence Day protest. He said instead of celebrating 28 years of freedom we are suffering from poverty, a loss of liberty and a loss of lives under a brutal regime.

Other groups participating in the Pretoria protest were the Zimbabwe Diaspora Forum, the Global Diaspora Forum, the Southern African Women’s Institute for Migration Affairs and the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Zimbabwe.

Shumba said they are calling on the SADC Observer Mission not to condone the recount of election ballots and for Mbeki to step down as mediator because he is a biased broker. They want the Zimbabwean ambassador in South Africa to convey to the government back home that their mandate has expired and they should leave office. Finally, they called on China to stop supplying weapons that are used to suppress the people of Zimbabwe.