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The undignified flight from South Africa of the disgraced Zimbabwean First ‘Lady’ after viciously attacking a young woman in Johannesburg has made her an object of derision throughout the world.

Grace’s crazed attack tells a lot about her sense of being above the law – fostered by the impunity with which the Zanu PF elite plunder and abuse Zimbabwe and her people.

Grace lost her cool when she went to see her two dissolute sons at a Johannesburg hotel and apparently found yet another party going on. She predictably exploded with rage, lashing out with an electrical extension cord leaving a 20 year old model Gabriella Engels bleeding from head wounds. Grace’s ten or so bodyguards stood back and did nothing.

Ms Engels said later that she was offered a bribe to keep quiet and told to name her price but refused. When police began criminal investigations President Mugabe appealed to his friend Zuma to grant retroactive diplomatic immunity.

Zuma of course has form in flouting the law as demonstrated when, two years ago, he let the Sudanese President Al-Bashir escape being sent to the International Criminal Court by allowing him to be spirited out of South Africa.

But Grace may not be off the hook. A group supporting Ms Engels say that if the South African authorities do not hold Grace to account they will help a private prosecution. This would cause serious embarrassment if Grace was to visit her new acquisition – a luxury house in Johannesburg costing R45 million (about $3.5 million).

 Other points

• Thanks to Fungayi Mabhunu for donning our Mugabe mask in a tableau at the Vigil depicting Grace (Salani Sally Mutseyami) beating Ms Engels (Alice Majola) with an extension cord. 
• Zanu PF’s contempt for justice was illustrated this week when President Mugabe said people implicated in the murder of white farmers during the land seizures would never be prosecuted.
• Thanks to those who arrive early to help set up: Isabell Gwatidzo, Fungayi Mabhunu, Alice Majola, Theodora Mandishaya, Eunice Mucherechedzo, Esther Munyira, Charles Mupawose, Sally Mutseyami, Patience Muyeye and Mduduzi Ndlovu. Thanks to Patience, Sally, Theodora and Cathrine Musa for looking after the front table, to Nomusa Dube, Alice, Newman Richard and Junior Madzimure for handing out flyers and selling wristbands and to Fungayi, Charles, Ben Semwayo, Rumbi Sambana, Babula Gwatiringa, Junior, Eunice Mucherechedzo, Theodora, Alice, Isabel, Mdudduzi and Esther for putting up the banners and general help in setting up.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website. The facebook page for our sister organisation Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) (https://www.facebook.com/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights-301811392835) has been hijacked by destructive elements from a group calling itself ZHRO. Please be advised that any postings on this page are not posted by ROHR.

FOR THE RECORD: 29 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• Zimbabwe Action Forum. Saturday 26^th August from 6.30 pm. Venue: The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. We will move to the RFH at the end of the Vigil at 6 pm.
• ZAF meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy.
• ROHR National Executive meeting. Saturday 2^nd September from 11 am. Venue: The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX.
• The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.
• Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 2^nd September from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
• Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.
• Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2016 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/843-zimbabwe-vigil-highlights-2016. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2016 Highlights page.
• Facebook pages:
  Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
  ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/Restoration-of-Human-Rights-ROHR-Zimbabwe-International-370825706588551/
  ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515

The Mugabe family have dramatically expanded their property empire in the Mazowe area by giving themselves a billion dollars of government money to build a new university there to be called the Robert Gabriel Mugabe University with themselves as the trustees. 

It will be convenient for their two sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga Bellarmine, who were recently thrown out of their luxury flat in Johannesburg after a drunken and drug-fuelled party left a man with a broken leg and arm. There has been speculation that they could be relocated to Zimbabwe for ‘security’. Robert had already been ‘relocated’ from the United Arab Emirates for similar shenanigans.

Grace Mugabe missed a rally to go down to rescue the pair but they seem to have continued their profligate ways on a visit to Harare. The Zimbabwe Independent says they left patrons at Club 1+1 stunned by their extravagance, keeping tables in the VIP section overflowing with champagne and whiskey. One patron said he counted 51 bottles, costing an average of $190 each (see: https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2017/08/08/mugabes-sons-party-storm/).

Robert’s studies at the University of Johannesburg seem to have been a bit of a fantasy, with lectures hardly ever attended – certainly not in the morning when his chauffeur was rarely required. So a local uni run by mum and dad far away from the fleshpots of Joburg and 40 kilometres from Harare would seem to be suitable. And since Grace got her doctorate from the University of Zimbabwe after a few weeks’ work, it shouldn’t be too difficult for the boys to match this at their own place, so to speak.

‘The influence of champagne and whiskey on cognitive function’ might make a PhD thesis. Or perhaps closer to Grace’s interest, ‘The effect of privilege on child development’.

A fantasy? Yes, but the whole university project is a fantasy even though it was endorsed by the cabinet with much bogus solemnity. Zimbabwe already has going on for 20 universities struggling by on about $300 million in all. So where will the massive grant to the Mugabes come from? Not the Chinese who have already cooled on their offer to fund a new parliament building at Mount Hampden, 16 kilometres from Harare, which Mugabe declared was going to be the new capital city.

And, anyway, Zimbabwe’s 2017 budget already envisages a $400 million deficit this year, with total government revenue of only $3.7 billion. Most of this goes on wages, which would have to be cut by a third to pay for the billion dollar Mugabe tombstone. 

Other points

• At the Zimbabwe Action Forum after the Vigil, there was discussion of speculation that next year’s elections would be engineered so that Zanu PF would remain in control but bring in MDC people to the government again to revive the economy and attract donor funding. 
• Thanks to those who arrived early to help set up: Babula Gwatiringa, Fungayi Mabhunu, Junior Madzimure, Shiella Matiza, Roseline Mukucha, Alfredy Mukuvare, Shiellah Mushunje, Vincent Shoniwa and Dean Zhuwa. Thanks to Roseline and Josephine for looking after the front table, to Esther Munyira, Linda Dodzo, Babula, Nancy Makurira, Sally Mutseyami and Abigail Chidavayenzi for handing out flyers and selling wristbands and to Alfredy, Dean, Junior, Babula and Vincent for putting up the banners. Thanks also to Abigail for bringing cakes and Beverley Mutandiro for bringing sandwiches.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website. The facebook page for our sister organisation Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) (https://www.facebook.com/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights-301811392835) has been hijacked by destructive elements from a group calling itself ZHRO. Please be advised that any postings on this page are not posted by ROHR.

FOR THE RECORD: 41 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• ROHR Reading branch BBQ fundraiser for ZimPAP. Saturday 19^th August from 2 pm till late. Venue: Pakistan Community Hall, London Road, Reading RG1 3PA. Bus 17 from Reading Station. Variety show, music and dance, raffle. Indoor dress code: males black and white, females red and white. Tickets £20 adults, £10 children to include BBQ meal. Contact: Sihle 07985712749, Alice 07462067504, Charles 0796473172, Josephine 07455166668, Shylette 07828929806, Deborah 07578894896 and Mercy 07492061376.
• The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.
• Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 19^th August from 10 am to 1 pm outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.
• Zimbabwe Action Forum. Saturday 26^th August from 6.30 pm. Venue: The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. We will move to the RFH at the end of the Vigil at 6 pm.
• ZAF meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy.
•  Zimbabwe Yes We Can Movement holds meetings in London as the political face of ROHR and the Vigil.
• Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2016 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/843-zimbabwe-vigil-highlights-2016. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2016 Highlights page.
• Facebook pages:
  Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/zimbabwevigil
  ROHR: https://www.facebook.com/Restoration-of-Human-Rights-ROHR-Zimbabwe-International-370825706588551/
  ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515