Zimbabweans around globe rising up against Mugabe
‘Enough is enough!’ Kitchener marchers shout
KITCHENER — Though there were only about 20 people of Zimbabwean heritage marching the streets in downtown Kitchener Saturday afternoon, their voices were united in anger — “Enough is enough!” they shouted. It is the same cry being used by Zimbabweans in their home country, all in protest of the corrupt government.
They say the president of their homeland, Robert Mugabe, must go and the international community has to pay attention to the crises and start putting pressure on the brutal dictator.
The peaceful protesters unfortunately had to vie with a motorcycle show taking place in the same downtown area in front of Kitchener City Hall, but it didn’t stop them from delivering a powerful message.
William Moses Dzimba, one of the speakers, explained the group is part of the Zimbabwe Canada Association and had gathered publicly as a starting point. They will next deliver their message to members’ local MPs. Similar protests are taking place around the world, all designed to bring the issue into the public realm.
The march, he said, is “to make a public statement in solidarity with fellow Zimbabweans who are reeling under the oppression of the present Mugabe regime.
“As descendants of Zimbabwe, our hearts bleed at the continued human right violations, the poverty, the police brutality, the intolerance of the Mugabe regime and the ruthless and utter greed of the corrupt leadership. “We cannot continue in silence.” Mugabe assumed office in 1980, initially part of the movement against white minority rule. His leadership has proven to be selfserving and ineffective. One of the speakers, Innocent Munyanyi, pointed out failings of the Mugabe government: 90-per-cent unemployment, corruption so extreme that one of the government ministers is said to be building a 50-bedroom mansion. Civil servants are not paid on time, and failing banks are only able to give out about $100 per day to account holders. Hospitals lack basic medical supplies, roads are crumbling … the list seems endless. Then there is the police brutality. “Our brothers and sisters who are dying every day, why is the international community not holding Robert Mugabe accountable for human rights violations against his own people?” asked Alice Penny, one of the speakers. “The international community is silent.”
Penny noted that even the United Nations has been silent on what is happening in her native country. “We’re feeling ignored,” she said.
Several of the protesters wore Zimbabwean flags and carried signs that spoke of $15 billion US that is unaccounted for from diamonds mined in the country.
“President Mugabe admitted that the 15 billion was stolen but up to now nothing has been done to recover the money,” said Munyanyi.
In was widely reported that Mugabe made the announcement about the missing revenues on his 92nd birthday, Feb. 21 of this year. The country, though one of the world’s poorest, is also one of the world’s top 10 diamond producers, though revenues are not used to help the population.
Penny said that although Mugabe has been in power for nearly four decades, what is happening now is that Zimbabwe’s problems have reached critical mass.
A human rights leader in the country was recently arrested but released after hundreds of protesters showed up at the police station, an unprecedented show of strength and unity. The leader was let go under all that public pressure.
“It gave everyone hope,” said Penny. “There’s all these little explosions (of activity) everywhere.”
One of those explosions is happening in the large Zimbabwean Christian community which had formerly restricted its protesting to prayer.
Now, they are taking action through social media.
The Twitter movement #thisflag, led by pastor Evan Mawarire, has gained legs quickly.
The new movement is inspiring Zimbabweans in both Zimbabwe and the diaspora, including Waterloo Region.