Joint Press Release – meeting with FCDO – London 20.03.2025

Written by: Diaspora Collaborative Statement by ROHR Zimbabwe, ZHRO, MyRight2Vote, ZAPU & CCC

####-- Collaborative Press Release 

20^th March 2025 3:30pm

Thursday, 20th March 2025, our ‘diaspora collaborative group’ held a face-to-face meeting with three important members of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, (FCDO) at their offices in King Charles Street, London: SW1A 2AH. We were also unexpectedly joined by British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Peter Vowles, who devoted 15 minutes from his busy schedule to be with us in the meeting.

There will be further joint statements about this welcome development very shortly.

Initiated by the FCDO, in requesting such an event, their initiative was as a result of a subtle change in focus by FCDO plus the 12 joint petitions delivered to the PM and the FCDO by our ‘diaspora collective group’ over the last 30 months. Summarised at the web link below;

Web Link to Petition Summary: 30-months-of-petitions

MyR2Vote/Z-DC.com {Zimbabwe Diaspora Coalition} was represented by Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni; ROHR Zimbabwe were represented by Panyika Karimanzira (ROHR Zimbabwe Spokesperson) and Renee Brenda Langa (UK Chapter Deputy Information & Publicity Secretary), ZHRO was represented by John Burke (Founder) and Rashiwe Bayisayi, ZAPU was represented by Christopher Maphosa (PEC Europe Province Chairperson), Cannicious Nkala (Admin Sec. Europe) and Mlindelwa Vundhla (NPC Europe Chair) and with CCC Southend-on -Sea represented by Tatenda Changambika (standing in for Stanford Biti).

Ends --###

THE ROLE OF THE DIASPORA IN DEFENDING THE DEMOCRATIC SPACE IN ZIMBABWE X – SPACE 24.01.2024

Wednesday 24^th January 2024

Today, Wednesday, 24th January 2024, Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe participated in a groundbreaking X-Space dealing with the topic “The Role of The Diaspora IN DEFENDING THE DEMOCRATIC SPACE IN ZIMBABWE hosted by Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition.

Among the panellists were Panyika Karimanzira (ROHR Zimbabwe spokesperson), Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, Tendai Ruben Mbofana and Thomas Mutangiri.

ROHR Zimbabwe members who attended include Vongayi Mufara (ROHR Zimbabwe’s UK Chapter Chairperson), Marian Mangani (ROHR UK Chapter Midlands Branch Fundraier), Basil Kamombe (ROHR UK Chapter Deputy Information & Publicity Secretary), Xoliso Sithole (ROHR UK Chapter North Branch Fundraier), Vengai Mutsawu (ROHR UK Chapter North Branch Chairperson and UK Chapter Fundraier), Nina Mutepfa (ROHR UK Chapter Midlands Branch Secretary), Lilian Nleya (ROHR Advocacy & Mentorship Committee member), Ronald Mutumbi (ROHR UK Chapter North Branch Organising Secretary), Phylis Melody Magejo and Shepherd Mutemaringa.

The meeting recognised the need for the Zimbabwean diaspora to take the leading role in challenging the status quo considering the fact that the hands of the activists on the ground are now tied by the shrinkage of the democratic space through the enactment of such laws as the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill (Commonly referred to as “The Patriotic Act) purportedly designed to outlaw what they broadly call “unpatriotic acts”, which essentially include criticising the President or the government of Zimbabwe from abroad, the Private Voluntary Organisations Act (PVO), the Maintenance of Public Order Act (MOPO), which replaced POSA and the Cyber and Data Protection Act of 2021 all of which collectively aim to shrink the democratic space and control the activities of nongovernmental organisations and individuals.

The following possible action points were put on the table for possible consideration;-

·         The diaspora to get more organised and come up with workable collaborative structures.

·         The diaspora to mobilise resources to support the activities on the ground, including community education on human rights, democracy, voting etc..

·         The diaspora to take a more prominent role in coordinating the activities on the ground.

·         The diaspora to lobby host governments to take a stand on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

·         The diaspora to lobby regional and international bodies like the SADC, AU, UN, EU, Commonwealth to call the Zimbabwean government to order and to keep the Zimbabwe situation in the limelight.

·         The diaspora to demand the right to vote.

The meeting noted that the diaspora voting population exceeds 6 million which is way above the 4 million or so Zimbabwean based people who registered to vote in the August 2023 harmonised elections.

It also noted that diaspora remittances in 2023 (9.44 billion U.S. dollars as of Oct.31, 2023) were more than Foreign Direct Investment and around 16% of the total foreign currency inflow in.

Work on what was agreed will continue in the background and ROHR Zimbabwe will seek to engage other diaspora based organisations on the way forward.

Further meetings of this nature will be convened by Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition in collaboration with Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe, MyRight2Vote, Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO) and other diaspora based Zimbabwean organisations.

Screenshots of the X-Space can be viewed here.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohr_zimbabwe__manchester/albums/72177720314288757

 

Report by:
Information & Publicity Department.

ALVINA CHIBHAMU SAYS "NO TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE"

 

In furtherance of ROHR Zimbabwe's campaign against political violence in Zimbabwe under the hashtag #NoToPoliticalViolence, as we approach the 2023 elections, Alvina Chibhamu, the Secretary for the UK Chapter and Chairperson of the Scotland Branch of ROHR Zimbabwe recorded this short video.

 

Subtitles by Opa Karimanzira

 

Video link - YouTube
https://youtu.be/vfGTIM6k3jk

Flickr – Video link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohr_zimbabwe__manchester/52795612442/in/album-72177720306655905/

VONGAYI MUFARA SAYS "NO TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE"

The #NoToPoliticalViolence Campaign kicks off. 

Vongayi Mufara, the Information & Publicity Secretary for the UK Chapter of ROHR Zimbabwe recorded this short video.

Comment on British Prime Minister’s resignation – by Panyika Karimanzira

 By Panyika Karimanzira

 Thursday 7^th July 2022

I wish our citizens and politicians in Zimbabwe could take a leaf from the recent developments in British politics which culminated in the resignation of Mr Boris Johnson from both being the leader of the ruling party, The Conservatives and the British Prime Minister today Thursday 7^th July 2022.

Mr Boris Johnson’s tenure was marked by scandals that included allegations of sleaze. Citizens on their part did not hesitate to point out instances of sleaze when they occurred and did not fear to criticise Boris Johnson and the government. They also punished the Conservative Party in recent by-elections.

Conservative Members of Parliament also criticised their leader both inside and outside Parliament and sometimes even voted with the opposition on motions that sought to keep the Prime Minister in check.

Some of them even voted for a motion of Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister which Mr Boris Johnson survived not so long ago.

Now members of Mr Boris Johnson’s Cabinet and Parliament resigned in large numbers in the last 2 days thereby making his tenure untenable and forcing him to resign.

That is how it should be in a democratic society. When Prime Ministers, Presidents, Ministers or other people holding positions of responsibility fail, they should resign. Ministers and Members of Parliament should also be willing to resign if they are not happy with the leadership in Government.

Nobody should masquerade as being entitled to rule forever or indispensable. There should be no sacred cow in our politics.

Here are links to videos in English, IsiNdebele and ChiShona on this matter by Panyika Karimanzira;-

Video in English
Video in IsiNdebele
Video in ChiShona

About the author and disclaimer:
Panyika Karimanzira a.k.a. Mandulo Pasichigare a.k.a. Shangoni WaHamisi is a Zimbabwean human rights activist based in the United Kingdom and is writing in his personal capacity in this instance. He can be contacted via email anselm.karimanzira@yahoo.ie

 

Mavis Harrison in Manchester at the “Week of action against the Hostile Environment” event.

The “Week of action against the Hostile Environment!” called by the Solidarity Knows No Border Network which, in Manchester comprises Right to Remain’s These Walls Must Fall Campaign, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), Women Seeking Asylum Together (WAST), Manchester No Borders and Safety4Sisters is running from 13^th – 19^th June 2022 in most cities and towns right across the UK.

It is taking place in a week where the first batch of asylum seekers in the UK were supposed to be flown to remote Rwanda as part of an opaque deal cut between the UK government  and that of Rwanda whereby the UK government would off-shore some of its asylum seekers to the African country for processing. If the affected asylum seekers’ applications are successful, they would not be returned to the UK but would be settled in Rwanda.

In Manchester, the Week of action against the Hostile Environment event is taking place on Saturday 18^th June 2022 from 1pm to 4pm at Methodist Central Hall, Oldham Street, Manchester M1 1JQ.

Speakers will be drawn from These Walls Must Fall Campaign, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), Women Seeking Asylum Together (WAST), Manchester No Borders and Safety4Sisters.

One of the key speakers at the Manchester event is local human rights campaigner, Mavis Harrison.

Mavis is a campaigner with These Walls Must Fall in Manchester, and a human rights activist with Restoration Of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She is passionate about human rights, including those for women in Zimbabwe, and universally.

Also billed to speak at the event is Agnes Tanoh, a resolute fighter for human rights and social justice who, like Mavis also experienced detention and all the ills that go with the UK government’s deliberate hostile environment, first hand and has lived to tell the story.

By dint of fate Mavis Harrison and Agnes Tanoh met 10 years ago in Yarl's Wood detention centre, right at the official start of the UK government's "hostile environment". Ever since that day, Mavis has been campaigning for justice.

For ten long years, Mavis and Agnes have not given up the struggle. Last month, the two were reunited in Durham, at the national demonstration against the new Hassockfield/Derwentside detention centre for women.

After the event, Mavis said:
“It was an emotional day for me, meeting Agnes Tohah who was one of the speakers. I was detained with Agnes ten years ago in Yarl's Wood. To this day I have not healed and I am still seeking counselling. When I saw her, I remembered the trauma we both went through and ten years later we are here in Durham fighting for other women who are inside Hassockfield detention centre and many other detention centres. It is just inhumane and disgusting.”

The date of Mavis and Agnes meeting in Durham after ten years was 14^th May 2022.

In advance of the Week of action against the Hostile Environment gathering in Manchester scheduled for Saturday 18^th June 2022, Mavis had this message for people....”All it takes for injustice to prevail is for society to turn a blind eye to it. We need to unite and speak with one strong voice when injustice takes place. It should not matter whether one is directly affected by the injustice or not because all human beings are connected in one way or another”

Over the years Mavis has grown from strength to strength in her campaigning and activism. She has

shown unfathomable resilience in the face of all the challenges militating against her and remains resolute in fighting for other women even though she herself went through misfortune in Zimbabwe. her country of origin and here in the UK, her host country where she experienced the horrors of detention first hand. She has not allowed circumstances to define her or imprison her mind.

Her message to everyone who is having to endure injustice is to be strong and be the voice of the voiceless. She asks the British community to stand up in solidarity and fight for defenceless women whose feelings are ignored, disgraced and treated with zero dignity.

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

Robert Kamanga of ROHR Zimbabwe calls for the release of abducted Moreblessing Ali

Saturday 4^th June 2022 

By Shangoni WaHamisi

As part of ROHR Zimbabwe’s campaign dubbed #BringbackMoreblessingAli, on Satrurday 4^th June 2022, Robert Kamanga, the Treasurer of the Midlands Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe, via this video , is calling for the release of Moreblessing Ali, a Zimbabwean political activist who was abducted by ZANU-PF members in the Nyatsime area of Chitungwiza on 24^th May 2022 and has never been seen since then, as at 4th June 2022. Robert Kamanga also says “ZANU-PF must go” because of the persecution of citizens who hold different political opinions from those of ZANU-PF.

This case is one of the latest in a fresh wave of State sponsored abductions and attempted abductions.

This case is one of the latest in a fresh wave of State sponsored abductions and attempted abductions.

In a case of attempted abduction only a few days ago on Friday 27^th May 2022there was an attempt to abduct Mduduzi Mathuthu, the Editor of ZimLive.com. He was lucky to have been away from home when  five men purporting to be Policemen, driving in an unmarked car, without registration number plates turned up looking for him.

The Zimbabwe government has got a history of state sponsored abductions, persecution, forced disappearances and murder of its critics, especially political and human rights activists as well as journalists. 

Most notable of these was the case of Paul Chizuze, a human rights activist who was abducted on 8^th February 2012 and Itai Dzamara, a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was abducted on 9^th March 2015. Both men have never been found since.

By Shangoni WaHamisi

About the author

Shangoni WaHamisi  is the pen name for Panyika Karimanzira a.k.a. Mandulo Pasichigare, a United Kingdom based Zimbabwean human rights activist who is a Board Member and Spokesperson for Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. Mandulo Pasichigare can be contacted via email Shangoni.WaHamisi@yahoo.co.uk

ROHR Zimbabwe exhorts Zimbabweans to confront the Government over the abduction of Moreblessing Ali.

Thursday 2^nd June 2022

By Mandulo Pasichigare,

To mark the start of ROHR Zimbabwe’s campaign dubbed #BringbackMoreblessingAli, on Monday 30^th May 2022, Silvanos Mudzvova, a member of The Advocacy & Mentorship Team of Restoration ofHuman Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe, via this video , exhorted Zimbabweans to pile pressure on the regime to release Moreblessing Ali, a political activist who was attacked, badly injured and bundled into a car at the shops in the Nyatsime area of Chitungwiza by ZANU-PF supporters on Tuesday 24^th May 2022 and has not been seen or heard from since then.

On Thursday 2^nd June 2022, Nontokozo Malaba Ncube, the Vice Chairperson of the North Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe followed up with a call for the release of Moreblessing Ali under the same campaign via another video .

This case is one of the latest in a fresh wave of State sponsored abductions and attempted abductions.

In a case of attempted abduction only a few days ago on Friday 27^th May 2022 there was an attempt to abduct Mduduzi Mathuthu, the Editor of ZimLive.com. He was lucky to have been away from home when  five men purporting to be Policemen, driving in an unmarked car, without registration number plates turned up looking for him.

The Zimbabwe government has got a history of state sponsored abductions, persecution, forced disappearances and murder of its critics, especially political and human rights activists as well as journalists.

Most notable of these was the case of Paul Chizuze, a human rights activist who was abducted on 8^th February 2012 and Itai Dzamara, a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was abducted on 9^th March 2015. Both men have never been found since.

By Mandulo Pasichigare

About the author
Mandulo Pasichigare is the pen name for Panyika Karimanzira a.k.a. Shangoni WaHamisi, a United Kingdom based Zimbabwean human rights activist who is a Board Member and Spokesperson for Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. Mandulo Pasichigare can be contacted via email Mandulo.pasichigare@yahoo.ie .

How dare you say "HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ZIMBABWE"?

18^th April 2022

By Magadaline (Maggy) Moyo

When my sister Nomsa Tshuma witnessed the painful death of her husband, Elvis Nyathi, a fate she herself narrowly escaped, at the hands of rogue South Africans simply because he was a foreigner that supposedly took their job whilst there are no jobs in Zimbabwe. 

When we watched that Video of Elvis Nyathi being burnt alive to ashes by heartless South Africans simply because he had left Zimbabwe out of desperation. When lack of opportunities due to the dire economic situation caused by an uncaring and unprincipled government that pursues distractive policies and a narrow agenda that benefits only an elite few and their surrogates at the expense of the general citizenry forced him to seek a livelihood elsewhere.

Elvis Nyathi, like millions other Zimbabwean emigrants decided to take a job that most South Africans deemed demeaning because he knew the struggles back home. To him this was his Gold.

Now you are telling me “Happy #### 42yrs…”

How is my sister Nomsa Tshuma and her four children going to heal from the trauma of watching that Video of Elvis Nyathi being burnt alive to ashes in South Africa when in Zimbabwe we don't have such basics as just a simple running clinic with Paracetamol let alone mental health facilities?

42 Years of “independence” and Elvis's children are not attending school for lack of school fees. His eldest child wrote his O-Level exams but was denied his results simply because the family had not paid his school fees. Elvis Nyathi’s 14yr old child dropped out of school to herd cattle and the last-born could not attend school, both because the family could not afford school fees.

42 Years of pain and suffering!! 

42 Years of overcrowded prison walls of innocent people who speak against human rights atrocities!! 

42 Years of our youths turning to Crystal meth and other harmful substances to numb the pains of being orphans to HIV AIDS and other easily manageable health conditions and living in hopelessly dire poverty!!

42 Years of the pain experienced by oppressed women whose husbands are kidnapped and made to disappear in thin air by a rogue State because they dare speak out against the oppressive regime!!

 

42 Years of many children like Anna a.k.a Memory Machaya losing their lives during child birth because of forced marriages!!

 

42 Years of the pain of Gugurahundi victims who lost parents, brothers and sisters and even denied a memorial stone to console themselves and the pain they have felt after losing almost 20 000 people at the hands of specially trained army brigade!!

42 Years of seeing the likes of Marry Mubaiwa being dragged to before the Zanu-PF courts whilst on her death bed despite being someone who once was a partner of and has children with a Vice President!!

 

YOU SAID 42 YEARS? Do you fathom the pain felt by Sylvia Maphosa's children after their mother was killed by Zimbabwean army at age 52 whilst coming from work.

 

42 Years that include the pain of losing the likes of the Dzamara brothers, Itai and Patson who died fighting for a truly independent Zimbabwe!!

 

42 Years of dictatorship, 42 Years of tears of Zimbabwean children. 42 Years of being insulted as youth that we are not capable to lead Zimbabwe!!

About the author;-
Magadaline (Maggy) Moyo is a human rights activist and a member of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe’s UK Chapter. She is also the Coordinator of These Walls Must Fall Campaign in Manchester and works with various grass root organisations fighting for social justice and promoting the welfare of the girl child in Southern Africa. She is based in the United Kingdom and can be contacted by email on nombuso430@gmail.com

Years of teacher tears by Nontokozo Malaba Ncube

14 February 2022

Years of teacher tears

Over the years, the Zanu PF regime’s response to teachers’ grievances has been lip service from a place of lack of concern and a mere want to get the impoverished teachers back to work. Beginning of this year, we saw teachers facing brutality to hold them down from airing of their overdue and frequently overlooked yet very legitimate concerns.

We saw detention of the lawfully demonstrating 16 teachers. They appeared in court with feet chained as though there are criminals. The regime wished to send a message of terror to mute the voices of the hungry teachers. The teachers’ cry has been of hunger while doing their best to serve the nation’s education. A hungry teacher’s presence in the classroom is mediocre and mere fulfilment of duty.

On the 8th of February, the Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education , Mrs Thabela threatened the clearly incapacitated teachers, calling for their names to be submitted for terror and torture, but the ZINUSH refused. The government has been using the principle of divide and rule, causing boards like ZINUSH and ZIMTA to sell teachers out on their struggle, but this time ZINUSH refused and it remains for ZIMTA not to sell out the struggle.

In the desperation to let the wind blow over and not out of real concern, the president releases a mocking open letter proposing;

a) The current salary of 18 000 RTGS, a deduction of interbank rate equivalent of US$100 which will be paid to teachers in hard currency,

b) The reminder of the salary which is 6000 RTGS to be increased by 20%.

There was mention of US$175 to be given to teachers in hard currency, counting in the US$75 Covid-19 allowance which the government can withdraw at any moment.

In my summation, the remaining RTGS salary, with its increment sums up to US$30 using the black market rate which teachers will use to buy foreign currency in an economy that now prices everything in US dollars. The salary therefore is US$ 130 plus US$75 Covid-19 allowance. In Zimbabwe rainy season tomatoes are going for US$1 for four. The teachers’ March payment of US$205 buys 51 tomatoes.

The letter promises non-monetary incentives like fees for teacher’s children of 20 000 RTGS, money not enough for half the schools in the urban area, money not half of universities’ fees, money with no promise of revising the amount in a casino economy of inflation like Zimbabwe. There were promises of building teachers’ blocks and flats, this by a government that fails to make roads, and all roads in the nation are potholed. There were other flimsy promises like duty free

vehicles bought by teachers, as teachers who earn US$130 can ever be able to buy cars.

This is such an unprogressive dialogue that the government intends with the release of such a letter. It is mockery of the teachers by government officials whose single sit in the cabinet earns them allowances way more than a teacher’s whole month’s salary.

The teachers deserve more than US$540 which they have settled for in their demand. There’s need to restore their dignity and eradicate the poverty and shame they have endured in society for years and with no consolation. There’s need to redeem the education sector and the future of all Zimbabwean children which Zanu pf clearly does not care about, maybe because their children learn abroad at expensive institutions.

#SaveOurEducationZw

#ZimbabweanLivesMatter 

About the author;-

Nontokozo Malaba Ncube  is a UK based Zimbabwean human rights activist and Acting Chairperson of  Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe North Branch. Nontokozo Malaba Ncube can be contacted by email on nmncube44408@gmail.com

REPORT ON THE MEETING WITH UK LORDS AND MPS ON TUESDAY 11th JANUARY 2022

 15^th January 2022

On Tuesday 11^th January 2022 ROHR Zimbabwe was part of a delegation that met with a delegation of UK Lords and MP’s via the UK Lords’ MS Teams platform. This meeting was hosted by Lord Oates as Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe, and it was set up to discuss the call for the Zimbabwean government to allow Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote as well as the failures of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

The Lords & MP’s team comprised of Lord Oates (the Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe), Lord Hayward, Lord Purvis of Tweed, Lord Wigley, Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Grahame Morris MP and Adam Bull.

The full Zimbabwean human rights delegation included Chief Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, David Mpoko and Arnold Bhebhe representing MyRight2Vote, Panyika Karimanzira and Vongayi Mufara representing ROHR Zimbabwe and John Burke, Beverley Mutandiro and Moses Mbano representing ZHRO.

Following the meeting we got a mention in the House of Lords on 13th January 2022.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2022-01-05.HL5134.h&p=24911
and the issues we raised were also discussed in the UK House of Commons.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-01-05/HL5134

We will continue to engage with and update the UK government on pertinent human rights issues.

Pictures of this meeting can be viewed here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohr_zimbabwe__manchester/albums/72177720296333263

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

AT COP26 – GLASGOW WE CONFRONTED THE DEVIL HIMSELF

11^th November 2021

By Emmaculate Tshuma

It’s not every day that you get an opportunity to confront a dictator in close proximity.

As a human rights activist my dream came true when I first heard the news that Emmerson Mnangagwa, the despotic President of Zimbabwe was to attend the COP26 Climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland from the 1^st of November 2021 to 14^th November 2021 (That is what we heard in the early days but it later turned out that he was to attend until the 3^rd November at the very latest).

I relished the opportunity to confront him face to face. I cannot mention some of the things that raced through my mind, lest I fall foul of the law.“Evil to the hilt” is the best I can say of them within the confines of the law.

You know, I can trace all my suffering to this evil man, Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ZANU-PF party. I am here in the UK because of him and his party. I hail from a country where sunshine is a given, yet I find myself in a foreign country that is not only cold, but where the immigration system is deliberately hostile. I have had to live like an unwanted person in a foreign land for what seems to be eternity and I blame it all on Emmerson Mnangagwa and Robert Mugabe before him. Infact, I should be saying “ZANU-PF” because it is the umbrella under which both evil men fall.

It is hard enough being Zimbabwean in these times, but it is much worse being from the minority in Matabeleland. It is almost like a curse. Genocide happened in our part of the country in the 80’s authored by Robert Mugabe and the very Emmerson Mnangagwa who was then Minister of State Security. Lest I digress, I will not dwell on it much in this piece except to name it - Gukurahundi. I will leave it for another day.

Back to COP26, when I heard the Devil Emmerson Mnangagwa would attend, I braced myself for a big fight. I relished the opportunity to confront him. I imagined all sorts of scenarios and possibilities and, strangely, one of them involved raw eggs.

I cannot describe the excitement but Monday 1^st November 2021 and Tuesday 2^nd November 2021 will forever be etched in my mind for I was part of a demonstration at COP26 where, together with more than a hundred other Zimbabweans we were able to confront Mnangagwa as well as tell the true Zimbabwean story to the rest of the world. We thwarted his scheduled attendance at a gala meant for him at Trades Hall in Glasgow on Tuesday 2^nd November 2021. We exposed him for the devil he is and we got international press coverage in the process.

I would like to thank my fellow ROHR Zimbabwe members, MDCA members, ZHRO members, ZAPU members and indeed independent or non-aligned Zimbabweans that all came together to make our demonstration over the 2 days such a resounding success.

I have received threats after that and so have many of my fellow demonstrators but so far I count myself relatively lucky because some have had worse experience. For example Shepherd Yuda’s car was vandalized the night he arrived back home in Middlesbrough. His second car was pasted with row eggs. Vongayi Mufara was awake the whole night on Tuesday 2^nd November 2021 into the morning of Wednesday 3^rd November 2021 because some people were making strange intimidating noises outside her bedroom window. Nontokozo Malaba Ncube, just like me, was receiving strange calls from strange +263 and +44 numbers. Your guess is as good as mine as to who the perpetrators are but I cannot mention them lest I jeopardize ongoing investigations.

We remain resolute in our quest for the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe. I for one will not be deterred by the threats as long as I am not physically in Zimbabwe.

The struggle continues.

About the author:-

Emmaculate Tshuma is a Zimbabwean human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is a member of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe and belongs the North Branch of the UK Chapter. She can be contacted via email; - emmahtshuma_05@yahoo.com

STATEMENT BY RESTORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ROHR) ZIMBABWE ON THE PLANNED DEPORTATION / REMOVAL OF SOME ZIMBABWEANS TO ZIMBABWE BY THE HOME OFFICE, UK GOVERNMENT - 14th July 2021

 14th July 2021

ROHR Zimbabwe is gravely concerned about the impending deportation / removal of some Zimbabweans to Zimbabwe by the Home Office of the government of the United Kingdom.

It has come to our attention that since the week commencing 5^th July 2021, the Home Office enforcement unit has been detaining large numbers of Zimbabweans for the purpose of deporting / removing them on chartered flights the first of which is scheduled to depart on Wednesday 21^st July 2021. Those being targeted are mainly those without leave to remain and / or have no live leave to remain applications filed with the Home Office. Top of the list are those with a criminal record in the United Kingdom.

What is disturbing about this move by the Home Office is not only that it gives no regard to the fact that the deportees’ lives are in danger when they get to Zimbabwe but also that this development is pursuant to a bilateral arrangement between the notorious government of Zimbabwe and the government of the United Kingdom. The clandestine nature of the operation and the speed at which it is being executed appears to be designed to give the victims little to no chance of access to legal representation.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the Government of Zimbabwe has an atrocious human rights record with so many recorded cases of state sponsored murder, abductions, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, excessive pre-trial incarceration and general persecution of those perceived to be enemies of the state. In this category fall members of opposition political parties, human rights activists, journalists and the diaspora community. The diaspora community in particular is accused of being sell outs mainly because they publicly speak out against the human rights violations of the repressive Zimbabwean government state agencies and the ruling party, ZANU-PF thereby exposing the Zimbabwean government’s ugly human rights record to the international community.

For the avoidance of doubt we wish to draw attention to the dossier of some of the human rights violations by the Mnangangwa regime since he ascended to power on the back of a military coup in November 2017. In a short space of time, Emmerson Mnangagwa has outperformed his notorious predecessor, Robert Mugabe in persecuting perceived enemies of the state who happen to be innocent and unarmed civilians of all walks of life. The dossier can be accessed via the following hyperlink;- https://rohr-zimbabwe.org/index.php/2020/07/19/rohr-zimbabwe-dossier-on-human-rights-violations-in-zimbabwe-from-nov-2017-july-2020-pdf-version/ .

More recent record of human rights violations by the government of Zimbabwe can be accessed via the monthly reports by ZimRights here or on the 2021 ZimRights monthly reports for June, April, March, February and January.

We urge the Home Office to immediately stop deportations / removals to Zimbabwe until such a time there has been a change in the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

We also ask all residents of the United Kingdom to support all the initiatives that the Zimbabwean community in the United Kingdom will come up with to fight against these deportations / removals

It is our considered view that the deportees face imminent danger if they return to Zimbabwe.

####

 

By Information & Publicity Department
Contact: - Panyika Anselm Karimanzira
Spokesperson
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe
Mobile: - +447538534375
Email: - rohrzimbabwe@yahoo.com
Email: - anselm.karimanzira@yahoo.ie

 

ROHR Zimbabwe activists participate in “These Walls Must Fall” Campaign re-launch in Manchester event – 19th May 2021.

20th June 2021

One of the main human rights issues facing our activists in the UK is the rough journey most have to travel in the fight for the right to asylum, which is a human right in accordance with article 14 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The journey is fraught with obstacles underpinned by a deliberate policy by government to create a hostile environment for asylum seekers and refugees in particular and other classes of immigrants in general.

Whilst ROHR Zimbabwe’s core business is the fight for human rights in Zimbabwe, our activists often find themselves having to extend their fight to universal human rights issues and platforms.

One such platform is the campaign for the abolition of detention as a form of immigration control.

Detention serves no purpose other than to destroy the lives of those affected. It costs the taxpayer huge sums annually and yet it still does not achieve what it is purported to exist for.

When some of our activists got wind of the UK wide “These Walls Must Fall” (T.W.M.F) campaign, they decided to join the campaign and some took up positions of responsibility in the campaign.

One such is Magadaline (Maggy) Moyo who took up the role of Organizer for Manchester for “T.W.M.F.” under the employment and tutelage of Right to Remain and Detention Action.

Magadaline (Maggy) Moyo set about mobilising various migrant community groups and individuals in Manchester and environs. This resulted in community groups and activists coming together to relaunch the campaign in Manchester culminating in the virtual re-launch event on Zoom in the evening on Wednesday 19^th May 2021.

Also directly involved in the mobilization for the re-launch event were other ROHR Zimbabwe activists Vengai Mutsawu, Nontokozo Malaba Ncube and Mavis Harrison (Tshuma) and activists from other countries like Uganda, Kenya, Pakistan and Nigeria just to name a few.

The re-launch event was also supported by “T.W.M.F.” campaigners from neighbouring Liverpool, Sheffield and South Yorkshire whose Organizers Rosie Huzzard and Veecka Smith helped coordinate this re-launch event.

The event was very lively with Vengai Mutsawu, Nontokozo Malaba Ncube and Mavis Harrison (Tshuma) sharing their touching personal experiences and urging activists to unite in the fight for the abolition of detention for immigration purposes. Many other activists from different nationalities also shared their stories.

Guest speakers at the re-launch event were Afzal Khan - MP for Manchester Gorton, Jane Traies – author, researcher and campaigner, Phillip Jones – campaigner and Founder of First Wednesday and Panyika Anselm Karimanzira a Board member and spokesperson for ROHR Zimbabwe and former Management Committee member of Right to Remain (RtR).

One of the Masters of Ceremony, Rosie Huzzard, when introducing one of the speakers, Panyika Karimanzira, alluded to the past successful campaigns run by ROHR Zimbabwe some of which led to the issues being debated in the House of Commons of the British Parliament as an example of how campaigns can produce results.

A solicitor from GMIAU, Ryan Bestford also spoke at the event.

The event concluded at a high note with a common resolve to unite and consolidate the “These Walls Must Fall” campaign in Manchester and to use it as a common platform to fight for the abolition of detention as a tool in immigration control and to fight against the unjust treatment of people seeking asylum.

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

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Celebrating Tawanda Muchehiwa - by Nontokozo Malaba Ncube

 

Celebrating Silvanos (Bhanditi) Mudzvova - by Anonymous ROHR Zimbabwe

 

Celebrating Morgan Richard Tsvangirai - by Vengai Mutsawu

 

Celebrating Joanna Mamombe, Cecillia Chimbiri & Netsai Marova - by Karen Nhakaniso

 

Celebrating Hopewell Chin'ono - by Delina Mutyambizi