Citizens Lets Down by Economic Failure
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- Written by: John Burke
- Category: Branch Issues
- Hits: 4246
Zimbabwe’s health workers and teachers on Monday, June 20, 2022 went on strike over poor pay and working conditions as they rejected a 100 percent [see reasons below] salary increase offered by the government at the weekend.
Health workers such as nurses, junior doctors, and radiographers staged protests at the country’s biggest public hospital—Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in the capital Harare—as they began their indefinite strike. Unions representing health workers said the strike was a last resort after the government refused to negotiate with them since April last year.
“The Minister of Health and Child Care (Vice President Constantino Chiwenga) has never met any health employee and government continues to offer lies as opposed to what is prevailing on the ground,” Apex Health Council leader Tapiwanashe Kusotera told the protesting health workers on Monday.
“They have refused to listen to us and we refuse to work.”
On Tuesday, June 21, nurses also held demonstrations at major hospitals. The strike is the second walkout by health workers since the Covid-19 outbreak in Zimbabwe in 2020.In addition, Civil Servants have been pushing for a salary review citing high inflation, which rose to 131.7 percent in May. [according to Professor Steve Hanke, he calculates that inflation is at 365%] in addition the collapse of the currency [in which all Civil Servants are paid] relative to the US Dollar has fallen by over 96% since January 1st 2020!!
REMEMBER THAT THE ZIMBABWE DOLLAR WAS ISSUED IN A FANFARE OF LIES AT A CLAIMED RATE OF 1:1 to the US Dollar. Today its extimated at 700 ZimDollar to 1 USD!!
Stop These Deportations
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- Written by: John Burke
- Category: Branch Issues
- Hits: 270
The United Kingdom’s cruel and hostile asylum environment has given rise to yet another Home Office plan to deport people to Zimbabwe on a flight chartered on 2nd March 2022.
StatusNow4All[1] These Walls Must Fall [https://detention.org.uk]., MyRight2Vote, BARAC UK, RAPAR, CCC, Zapu, ROHR and ZHRO[2] and other organisations abhors this decision, made in the name of the Home Secretary, Priti Patel. DOWNLOAD the PDF of this Petition NOW
It is immoral:
These are just some of the factors of note in relation to those who are being rounded up for deportation right now:
- Some have been here a long time, as many as twenty years;
- Some will have had Refugee Leave, such was the compelling case they presented on arrival in UK, but the law, now, allow the Home Office to strip them of this, due to a conviction for particular offending behaviours [para 339 Immigration Rules].
- Deportation Orders are automatically made against people without British or Irish citizenship who have been given a prison sentence of more than a year
- Some of these people will have served their time in prison and on license like any other person with a conviction and have subsequently lived in the community for many years without re-offending – the bulk of these ‘crimes’ are old.
- They have been suffering the psychological damage and indignities of being on indefinite Immigration Bail with ankle tags, curfews, not allowed to work or study, and the ever-present threat of removal.
- Suicide amongst those in this situation is NOT uncommon.
ZEC Must GO - Reform
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- Written by: Charles Kanyimo, John Burke and GROK2
- Category: Zimbabwe Issues
- Hits: 361
On the 5th March 2025 activists from the diaspora will be presenting a hard hitting petition regarding the need for RADICAL and WHOLESALE Electoral reform and the Obliteration of the utterly corrupted ZEC {Zimbabwe Electoral Commission}. See Petition details as they are developing HERE at this LINK.
"With the ruling ZANU PF party embroiled in internal factional battles, the political scene in Zimbabwe is approaching interesting times. Unfortunately, the opposition is focused on the fallout within ZANU PF while the most urgent issue—electoral reform—is being side-lined. Without fundamental changes to the electoral system, the next election is likely to be another manipulated process that keeps ZANU PF in power against the will of the people, whether it’s Mnangagwa or Chiwenga at the helm."
"The 2023 elections once again exposed how the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) operate as an extension of ZANU PF rather than an independent election body. The opposition lost largely because of a compromised voters’ roll, which was never properly audited, making it easy for ghost voters and irregular registrations to benefit the ruling party. Gerrymandering also played a role, with constituency boundaries altered to favour ZANU PF."
An extract from Charles Kanyimo 20th Feb 2025 Article {The full article will be published at 14:30 on 20th February 2025 just after a group of activists have presented a Petition to the UK PM Concerning the NoED2030 diaspora demonstration.}
The discussion around electoral reform in Zimbabwe is pivotal for several reasons, including the consolidation of democracy, gaining global recognition, and potentially re-securing membership in the Commonwealth. Here's an overview based on recent events, reports, and opinions:
Current State of Electoral System and Reforms:
- 2023 Elections: The elections in August 2023 were widely criticized for not meeting regional and international standards. Reports from various observer groups, including the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), the European Union, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), highlighted issues like voter intimidation, lack of transparency in vote counting, and the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
- ZEC's Role: There is significant concern regarding the independence of the ZEC. Observations have indicated that the commission has not fully managed to conduct elections in a manner that instils public trust or meets constitutional and legal standards.
- Legal Framework: Despite some legal amendments, such as those to the Electoral Act and the introduction of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, the legislative environment remains contentious. Key concerns include the enactment of repressive laws like the "Patriotic Bill," which could stifle freedom of expression and association.
2nd December - My Right to Vote
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- Written by: John Burke and Chief Ndweni
- Category: Zimbabwe Issues
- Hits: 5197
This article is published at 14:15 today [Thursday 2nd December 2021] AFTER the Petition Hand-Over to Boris Johnson and Co at 10 Downing Street, Whitehall, London. SW1A 2AA. This will appear automatically to allow the public to see the body of our petition for themselves. We feel it is a matter for public debate, that the Regime who have ruled with an 'iron fist' for 41 years in Zimbabwe needs to be exposed due to corruption, mismanagment, vote rigging, the prevention of a diaspora vote and gross human rights abuses.
Thereafter we may walk to the FCDO Offices to shout about why their faith in Zanu PF and Emmerson D Mnangagwa, and the Zanu PF 'cabal' is entirely misplaced! We will do this another day as the temperatures in London today was only 30C plus a modest wind-chill. We were all perishingly cold!
Order of the Day
We had congregated outside the Zimbabwe Embassy located at 429 The Strand, London WC2R 0JS from 11:00am onwards - or whatever time people arrived from all over the UK - those from Newcastle or Leeds, have got our sympathies for the length of journey. To keep costs down it is invariably by coach! Often leaving at midnight or the 'early' hours. Moses Mbano has done this trip several times!
With us today were Chief Ndiweni and many other free thinking Zimbabweans, and other supporters of justice and freedom!
By 13:30 [1:30pm] we moved off from the Embassy, via Trafalgar Square, to first Whitehall, then we congregated opposite the entrance to 10 Downing Street. We sang, danced and played the drum whilst we awaited the 14:00 timeslot to enter the security corden around 10 Downing St. A tale of woe for Moses Mbano [arriving from Newcastle], was that [strangely] the Home Office had prevented him from being in the 'Petitioner' group - therefore he was left outside at the Gate.
Each of the [now 5] Zimbabwean petitioners, Chief F Nhlanhla Ndiweni, John Burke, Rashiwe Bayisayi and Sarah Bayisayi and Moses Mbano [left at the Gate as mentioned above] had been vetted by the Diplomatic Police Unit up to 10 days prior to entry. They had photo-ID with them to support that vetting process. On our Flickr Album Page 2nd Dec 2021 you can see their progress, and of the rest of the day as a photo-log plus a few videos too!
Once beyond the gate to Downing Street the petitioners were at liberty [and we encoraged them to do so see the photos on the Flickr Album above] - to take photographs of themselves as a group and individually. Several of the photos at the door to Number 10, were actually taken by one of the Policemen there!
After they returned to the main group situated opposite the entrance to Downing Street, the petitioners were greeted with cheers and more music! ...and dancing! see video on our Flickr page above!
It was at that stage that this pre-arranged article with its link to the PDF Petition document became publicly available arounf 14:15. Please read, consider and circulate.
A short video after the Petition was delivered is avialable at this link to our Flickr Album page for the 2nd December 2021. You may need to click the video for it to play. Some very wise words from Chief Ndiweni
Those who braved the cold on Thursday were as follows: Moses Mbano, who arrived from Newcastle at 8:00am; Elector Zvorwadza; Zenzo Sibanda; Junior Madimure; Sarah Bayisayi; Rashiwe Bayisayi; John Burke; Chief F Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, complete with Chief Badge/Insignia; Silvanos Mudzvova, our Playwright; Qiniso Sibanda, from Leeds; Beverley Mutandiro, our Political/Human Rights Liaison Co-ordinator; Stanley Tavaziva, for a flying visit; Chegika Phiri, from Doncaster; Emmanuel Dzingira, suffering bus delays; Handsen Chikowore and Tapiwa Muskwe.
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