NOTICE - UK CHAPTER National Meeting – Saturday 3rd June 2023

Event: - UK CHAPTER  National Meeting
Date: - Saturday 3^rd June 2023
Time: - 14:00 hrs – 16:00 hrs (London time)

Venue: - Zoom
Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7538534375?pwd=RnREUTI0SmN0T3ZwQ1J6UTdRa3JPUT09

Meeting ID: 753 853 4375
Passcode: 261316

Agenda: - To follow
This is a  very important meeting with many updates to be shared. ***DON’T MISS***

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 

Nicolate Gwati 07871849489
Thabani Muleya 07375898185
Alvina Chibhamu 07446224052
Malvern Dengu 07716210555
Vongayi Mufara 07309990505
Lilian Nleya 07853155145
Grace Makoni 07399414862
Vengai Mutsawu 07914257903

GOLD MAFIA EXPOSE and JOB SIKHALA INCARCERATION – ROHR ZIMBABWE AND OTHERS COMPELLED TO ACT

20^th April 2023

Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe activists were, like most right-thinking Zimbabweans, riled by the extent of the looting of Zimbabwe's natural resources (including Gold, Diamonds and Ivory), money laundering and corruption, as exposed by the recent 4-episode expose by Al Jazeera in March and April 2023.

We were compelled to act.

We set about planning specific actions aimed at petitioning the governments whose citizens and institutions were implicated in the Gold Mafia rot and bringing the rot to the international limelight.

ROHR Zimbabwe’s UK Chapter set up a planning committee to come up with an action plan which included mobilising for and organising specific actions.

The planning committee comprised Nicolate Gwati (Chairperson of the UK Chapter), Lilian Nleya (Organising Secretary of the UK Chapter), Alvina Chibhamu (Secretary of the UK Chapter), Vongayi Mufara (Secretary for Information & Publicity and Spokesperson – UK Chapter), Panyika Karimanzira (Board Member and Spokesperson – ROHR Zimbabwe) and Racqueline Changunda.

ROHR Zimbabwe was then approached by other prominent human rights activists who were also thinking of similar action, whereupon the idea of an All-Group Planning Committee was born and agreed upon.

Consequently, the All-Group Planning Committee comprising UK-based Zimbabwe-focused human rights groups and activists was set up to agree, organise and coordinate the planned actions.

Each group deployed some of its members to this All-Group Planning Committee.

The All-Group Planning Committee comprised members from ROHR Zimbabwe, ZHRO, Change Radio and prominent individual activists.

ROHR Zimbabwe delegated Nicolate Gwati, Lilian Nleya, Vongayi Mufara, Racqueline Changunda and Panyika Karimanzira to the All-Group Planning Committee.

Other members of the All-Group Planning Committee included Patricia Chinyoka, Washington Ali, Stanford Biti, John Burke, Mary Ndoro, Maud Bvumbe, Gladys Meck, Barbara Tanyanyiwa and Makomborero Haruzivishe.

The Action

United Arab Emirates Embassy, London

We started at the United Arab Emirates Embassy, 1-2 Grosvenor Cres, London SW1X 7EE on the morning of Tuesday, 18^th April, 2023, where we demonstrated and delivered a petition asking the UAE government to acknowledge, respond and act upon the revelations of the Gold Mafia documentary, which highlights Zimbabwe’s gold dealings in Dubai where proceeds are exported using Zimbabwe’s diplomatic status via Prophet Uebert (Angel) Mudzanire, Simon Rudland and Howard "Howie" Baker through Aulion Global trading registered in UAE.

ROHR Zimbabwe members who participated on this occasion include Paradzai Mapfumo, Edineth Mtengwa, Malvern Dengu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Velisiwe Ndlovu, Panyika Karimanzira, Xoliso Sithole, Racqueline Changunda, Olivia Chamboko, Vongayi Mufara, Sheilla Mironga, Margret Tashayawedu and Malvern Dengu,

Other notable activists who attended this demo include, Patricia Chinyoka of Change Radio, Washington Ali, Masunda Mbengo, Thomas Machingauta, Khonzanani Mlambo and Josephine Sipiwe Jenje Mudimbu.

For pictures and videos taken at this event, click here.

Zimbabwe Embassy, London

Our next port of call, the same morning of Tuesday, 18^th April, 2023, was the Zimbabwe Embassy, Zimbabwe House, 429 Strand, London WC2R 0JR. Here we demonstrated, demanding the Zimbabwean government to investigate the shenanigans exposed by the Gold Mafia expose as well as to release the incarcerated Job Sikhala and all political prisoners, to stop lawfare, state capture, and corruption and demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa step down.

ROHR Zimbabwe members who participated on this occasion include Paradzai Mapfumo, Edineth Mtengwa, Malvern Dengu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Velisiwe Ndlovu, Panyika Karimanzira, Xoliso Sithole, Racqueline Changunda, Olivia Chamboko, Vongayi Mufara, Sheilla Mironga, Margret Tashayawedu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Phylis Melody Magejo, Marian Mangani, Pythias Makonese, Praisego Munzhedzi Moyo, Lindah Chenyama, Mercy Netsai Gomo, Emmaculate Tshuma and Garikai Mukarati.

Other notable activists who attended this demo include, Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, Patricia Chinyoka of Change Radio, Washington Ali, Masunda Mbengo, Thomas Machingauta, Khonzanani Mlambo, Josephine Sipiwe Jenje Mudimbu, Olive Ruvimbo Ruzvidzo, Mary Ndoro, Hellena Gusinyu, Moses Chikwekwete Mbano, Model Pamire and John Burke.

For pictures and videos taken at this event, click here.

South African High Commission, London

From there, we proceeded to the South African High Commission, South Africa House, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DP.

Here we demonstrated and delivered a petition requesting the South African government to acknowledge, respond and act upon the revelations of the Gold Mafia documentary, which highlights Zimbabwe’s gold dealings in Dubai where proceeds are laundered using Zimbabwe’s Simon Ruland who owns Gold leaf Tobacco in SA,  Mahomed Khan who owns Asset Management PKSA and SALT associates, Howard Baker who owns Rappa Refinery and the Two SA banks Standard Bank and ABSA that are mentioned in the documentary as having facilitated opening of accounts to facilitate money laundering.

ROHR Zimbabwe members who participated on this occasion include Paradzai Mapfumo, Edineth Mtengwa, Malvern Dengu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Velisiwe Ndlovu, Panyika Karimanzira, Xoliso Sithole, Racqueline Changunda, Olivia Chamboko, Vongayi Mufara, Sheilla Mironga, Margret Tashayawedu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Phylis Melody Magejo, Marian Mangani, Pythias Makonese, Praisego Munzhedzi Moyo, Lindah Chenyama, Mercy Netsai Gomo, Emmaculate Tshuma and Garikai Mukarati.

Other notable activists who attended this demo include, Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, Patricia Chinyoka of Change Radio, Washington Ali, Masunda Mbengo, Thomas Machingauta, Khonzanani Mlambo, Josephine Sipiwe Jenje Mudimbu, Olive Ruvimbo Ruzvidzo, Mary Ndoro, Hellena Gusinyu, Moses Chikwekwete Mbano, Model Pamire and John Burke.

For pictures and videos taken at this event, click here.

British Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, London

Our last port of call for the day, was in the afternoon, Tuesday, 18^th April, 2023, at the British Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AB.

Here we demonstrated and delivered a petition to the British Prime Minister’s Office asking the British government to:-

·        Investigate Uebert (Angel) Madzanire businesses and Spirit Embassy church ministry.

·        Engage the UAE Ambassador to the UK to respond to the allegations made in the Gold Mafia documentary, which highlights Zimbabwe’s gold sold in Dubai with proceeds exported using Zimbabwe’s diplomatic status via Prophet Uebert (Angel) Mudzanire, (Presidential Envoy and Ambassador at large to Europe and the Americas for Zimbabwe).

·        Engage London Stock Exchange (LSE) to investigate investment dealings with the Zimbabwe government (Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli is visiting and meeting investors on 20^th and 21^st April and is being hosted by LSE.)

ROHR Zimbabwe members who participated on this occasion include Paradzai Mapfumo, Edineth Mtengwa, Malvern Dengu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Velisiwe Ndlovu, Panyika Karimanzira, Xoliso Sithole, Racqueline Changunda, Olivia Chamboko, Vongayi Mufara, Sheilla Mironga, Margret Tashayawedu, Maruwiza Nkhambala, Phylis Melody Magejo, Marian Mangani, Pythias Makonese, Praisego Munzhedzi Moyo, Lindah Chenyama, Mercy Netsai Gomo, Emmaculate Tshuma and Garikai Mukarati.

Other notable activists who attended this demo include, Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, Patricia Chinyoka of Change Radio, Washington Ali, Masunda Mbengo, Thomas Machingauta, Khonzanani Mlambo, Josephine Sipiwe Jenje Mudimbu, Olive Ruvimbo Ruzvidzo, Mary Ndoro, Hellena Gusinyu, Moses Chikwekwete Mbano, Model Pamire, Barbara Tanyanyiwa, Deborah Jandles and John Burke.

For pictures and videos taken at this event, click here.

Parliament Square, Westminster, London

Wednesday, 19^th April 2023, was the second successive day of action for us.

We held a vigil at Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1A 2AA.

We were appealing to the UK Parliamentarians, particularly the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Zimbabwe, which was in session, to look into the matter of the continued incarceration of Job Sikhala, the Zimbabwean opposition party parliamentarian who has been held in Chikurubi Maximum Prison for 309 days on trumped up charges and denied bail on numerous occasions.

His crime was to represent the family of murdered activist Moreblessing Ali.

ROHR Zimbabwe members who participated on this occasion include, Nicolate Gwati, Vongayi Mufara, Michelle Nokuthaba Mpofu, Emmaculate Tshuma, Edineth Mtengwa, Panyika Karimanzira, Racqueline Farai Changunda and Malvern Dengu.

Other notable activists who attended this demo include, Patricia Chinyoka of Change Radio, Washington Ali, Stanford Biti, Makomborero Haruzivishe and John Burke.

We were also joined by some UK parliamentarians, including the Chairperson of the APPG for Zimbabwe, Navendu Mishra, the Co-Chairperson of the APPG for Zimbabwe, Load Jonny Oates, Vice Chairperson of the APPG for Zimbabwe, Rachel Hopkins and Baroness Kate Hoey.

For pictures and videos taken at this event, click here.

By Information & Publicity Team
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

 

THE GOLD MAFIA – THE STENCH OF CORRUPTION IN ZIMBABWE

16^th April 2023

Sometime early this year, it was rumoured that Al Jazeera was to publish some information about the smuggling and looting of resources by the political elite and their connections in Zimbabwe.

We all waited with bated breath for the Al Jazeera expose.

It was delayed, but when the first episode was published on Thursday, 23/03/2023, it lived up to its billing and it gripped the nation of Zimbabwe. It drew similar interest in neighbouring South Africa as well as far afield as Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Three more episodes were to follow in instalments a week apart as follows;-
Thursday 30/03/2023, Episode 2
Thursday 06/04/2023 Episode 3
Friday 14/04/2023 Episode 4

An intricate web of illicit activities operated by mainly Zimbabwean, South African, British, UAE and Kenyan nationals was laid bare for the world to see.

One of the major players therein is a dual Zimbabwe British citizen, Eubert Angel Mudzanire (Presidential Envoy and Ambassador at large to Europe and the Americas for Zimbabwe), who also is the founder of Spirit Embassy Church which operates in the UK. He potentially runs other businesses in the UK either directly or via proxies.

It stands to reason that Eubert Angel’s money laundering and smuggling activities may extend to the jurisdiction of the UK since he resides in the UK and is a frequent international traveller with a Zimbabwean Diplomatic Passport.

Other major players therein include at least one South African citizen, Mohamed Khan, who owns PKSA and SALT Asset Management, South African financial services firms. These two firms help Simon Rudland, a Zimbabwean, who co-owns Gold Leaf Tobacco, one of the largest cigarette manufacturers in South Africa, and others launder large sums of money through fake invoices and stolen identities. Simon Rudland lends some of his money to Zimbabwe’s government through Fidelity Printers and Refinery, owned by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). In exchange, RBZ lets Simon Rudland’s couriers smuggle millions of dollars worth of gold from Zimbabwe to Dubai for sale.

Mohamed Khan's financial services firms launder large sums of money through fake invoices and bribing banks. Standard Bank and ABSA turn a blind eye or collude with Mohamed Khan, as revealed in the documentary. 

Also in the mix is one Howard "Howie" Baker, a Zimbabwean, who owns several gold-trading companies, including Aulion Global Trading, the firm at the centre of gold laundering operations in UAE. He also owns Rappa Refinery, a gold refinery in South Africa which supplies Aulion Global Trading with gold.

The President of Zimbabwe Miners Federation, Henrietta Rushwaya (Emmerson Mnangagwa's niece) is also implicated in the money laundering and smuggling of gold from Zimbabwe to UAE.

And then there is Cleopas Chidodo, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAZ) Security Manager, who, by his own admission, facilitated the smuggling of Gold, Diamonds, other precious minerals and Ivory from Zimbabwe as well as millions of laundered cash to and from Zimbabwe through Robert Mugabe International Airport. The smuggling and money laundering were by proxies of and couriers for the former first family, the Mugabes and by proxies of and runners for the current first family, the Mnangagwas.

Scott Sakupwanya, the flamboyant owner of Better Brands Jewellery, ZANU-PF functionary and candidate for Mabvuku, labelled “The New Mr Gold”, also features prominently in the 4 episode Al Jazeera “Gold Mafia” documentary, as does his former boss, Ewan Macmillan, also a Zimbabwean citizen closely connected to Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Also implicated were a Canadian national, Alistair Mathias and a Kenyan national, Kamlesh Pattni, both of whom boasted that Emmerson Mnangagwa was their partner in corruption.

Every money launderer in the documentary claims that Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe, is their partner in corruption.

The proceeds from these gold shenanigans do not benefit the Zimbabwean populace; instead, money from sales is diverted to offshore bank accounts of the few elites involved in the looting.  It is estimated that Zimbabwe is prejudiced by US$100,000 million every day in lost revenue from the looted gold sales. The gold is illegally moved from Zimbabwe to Dubai.

Considering the collapsed state of all sectors of the Zimbabwean economy and the dilapidated state of the health infrastructure (e.g. there is only one radiotherapy machine in government hospitals, and it is currently not working) and the high mortality rate among all patients, including cancer patients, Zimbabweans find this level of looting of national resources grossly immoral.

At the end of it all, Zimbabweans were, understandably, aghast at the extent of corruption, the amounts of gold that had been smuggled out of Zimbabwe, the obscene amounts of money laundered and lined up the pockets of a few, including the President of Zimbabwe and his cronies.

In summary, what we learnt from the 4-episode Al Jazeera “Gold Mafia” is that Zimbabwe’s gold is being exported illegally by a few individuals (e.g. Henrietta Rushwaya) connected to President Mnangagwa with the help of Airport security and that the proceeds are paid to a few individuals instead of the state. We also learnt that Ambassadors at large (e.g. Eubert Angel Mudzanire) were Mnangagwa’s personal conduit for self-enriching and illegal, corrupt deals.

We also learnt that Zimbabwe is losing billions of dollars to illicit financial flows.

According to global research group (2020), Zimbabwe is losing at least 1.5 billion dollars a year through the smuggling of gold alone. When we factor in other precious minerals and other resources, this figure runs into tens of billions.

We also learnt that diplomatic immunity is being exploited to smuggle contraband internationally by the likes of Eubert Angel Mudzanire and the Presidential entourage whenever Mnangagwa goes on international trips. Little wonder Emmerson Mnangagwa travels with such a large entourage.

Zimbabwe fares poorly on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and on a number of other reputable international indices, such as the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s Democracy Index and Freedom House’s “Freedom In the World” annual report.

Cry our beloved country.

By Information & Publicity Team
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe