Save Zimbabwe Now launched today
January 21st, 2009
The launch of the movement Save Zimbabwe Now was launched today, 21st January 2009, at Central Methodist Mission, Johannesburg. Speakers included:
Graca Machel – Member of The Elders and wife of Nelson Mandela, Kumi Naidoo – Honorary president of CIVICUS, Nomboniso Gasa – Chair of the South African Gender Commission, Bishop Paul Verryn of the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, Louisa Zonda – Consultant and former CEO of the Human Rights Commission, Pastor Mugabe - Board member of the Zimbabwean National Pastors Conference and member of the Christian Alliance, Makoma Lekalakala – Steering committee member of Ceasefire and member of several women’s and community based organisations and Sipho Theys – Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum.
“Southern African leaders have the blood of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans on their hands for failing to solve the crisis”, said former Mozambican First Lady Graça Machel at the launch. “We trusted too long, it’s time we tell the leaders we lay the lives of all those who passed on… in the hands of SADC …  They, as a collective leadership, took the responsibility to solve the conflict…,” said Machel. “It [the Zimbabwean government] has lost completely any kind of legitimacy”.
The movement aims to galvanise the solidarity and support of the people and organisations in Southern Africa, and to provide a range of opportunities to offer solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. Several civil society groups in Zimbabwe have welcomed and pledged their support for this initiative and we envisage a collective passage forward in aspiring to assist the democratic journey for Zimbabweans through inspiration and action.
The first action of the movement will be a fast. High profile South African leaders and individuals will be fasting in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.
Some of the support already galvanised include:
Among them are Moeletsi Mbeki, Chairperson of Endemol, Sipho Theys from the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, Piers Pigou – Director of SAHA, Elinor Sisulu – Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Selvan Chetty – Solidarity Peace Trust, and Yasmin Sooka – Foundation for Human Rights.
Individuals like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Ivor Jenkins of IDASA and Hugh Lewin, director of SACST will be fasting one day a week, every Wednesday. Other participants, including Kumi Naidoo and Nomboniso Gasa will be fasting for up to 21 consecutive days whilst residing at the Central Methodist Mission. Rev Priscilla Everson, Anglican Priest in the JHB Diocesse, Bishop Paul Verryn of the Central Methodist church.
The fast will continue for a period of 3 months unless meaningful and tangible gains towards the demands put forward are met.
FASTING HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO SYMBOLISE THE HUNGER AND DISCOMFORT FACED BY MILLIONS OF ZIMBABWEANS EVERY DAY IN VARYING FORMS OF SEVERITY.
Information on how to join the fast are available at www.savezimbabwenow.com
January 22nd, 2009 03:01
It’s about time! The delay in resolving the crisis in Zimbabwe is entirely due to the failure of the SADC to put pressure on Mugabe to respect human rights and democracy. And the SADC governments, especially South Africa, will only act on Zimbabwe when their own people loudly demand they do so.
January 23rd, 2009 10:28
i am joining you in prayer n fasting my heartcry is that zim b restored
January 23rd, 2009 14:26
Cool, they’ve used the same design for their site that I did for mine!
http://bustatheme.com/wordpress/wp-coda/
January 24th, 2009 20:20
only god knows why mbeki was removed as president of south africa because 1/ he was allowing weapons of mass destruction to pass to zimbabwe,he was supplying to rbz to sponsor
violence,he was supplying fuel to the army and
police to kill and butcher people in zimbabwe
and to day he fighting tooth and nail to keep mugabe in power
January 25th, 2009 13:45
We are very happy about the launching of the Save Zimbabwe Now. I and some friends of mine wish to start a SAZINO Chapter here in Botswana. Our main objective will be to meet regularly and pray for Zimbabwe as well as ask all the churches of Botswana to do the same.
Is it possible to do that? Please let us know what we need to do so that we can start working for the liberation of our country through the Bible and prayers.
Peter Makina (I shall use my real name.)