There is very little evidence of an operational Democracy in Zimbabwe, in practice. This situation has been continuing since the "first independence" registered on 18th April 1980
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- Written by: John Burke
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THE RAMAPHOSA FARM VISIT
What we now know as of today, 3 May 2026:
Ramaphosa was photographed at Mnangagwa's 405-hectare Precabe Farm in Kwekwe [Click on the image, or here. to see the full size- just in case you think we are fabricating this meeting], with footage circulating on social media showing the two heads of state walking together. Present alongside them were Wicknell Chivayo, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, and Paul Tungwarara — all prominent businessmen with close ties to the ruling establishment. No official communiqué has been released. iHarare News
This is not a routine bilateral visit. The cast of characters tells the real story:
- Wicknell Chivayo — investigated by ZACC over a $100 million ZEC deal to supply election material for the 2023 elections, with invoices allegedly inflated by 30,000%. He also recently announced a US$3.6 million donation to Members of Parliament — widely interpreted as an attempt to secure CAB3 votes — which even Zanu PF's own Treasurer-General called "a base, unethical, unprincipled and unnecessary attempt to influence the outcome of the ongoing debate on CAB3." The Africa ReportZimEye
- Kudakwashe Tagwirei — sanctioned by both the US and UK governments; serves as a special advisor to President Mnangagwa and holds substantial interests in Zimbabwe's energy and fuel sectors. Central News
The Internal Zanu PF Dimension — Critical Context:
CAB3 proposes to abolish the direct election of the President by popular vote, instead having Parliament elect the head of state in a joint session — and erodes the principle of automatic succession by the Vice President, effectively closing a clear path to the top office for both Chiwenga and second Vice President Mohadi. My Zimbabwe News
When Chiwenga stood in a Roman Catholic church and invoked King Hezekiah — "extra years are not always a blessing" — he was not preaching. He was signalling. He told congregants that Hezekiah spent his extra years watching his kingdom prepare for captivity, and that "the extra time had consequences." Nehanda Radio NewZimbabwe.com
Constitutional lawyer Thabani Mpofu has now warned that if CAB3 becomes law before September 2026, it could potentially allow Mnangagwa's tenure to be reset to a new seven-year term running to 2033 — not merely 2030. Nehanda Radio
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- Written by: Rumbidzai Thelma Chidewu
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A Nation Silenced:
Zimbabwe’s Cry for Freedom Cannot Be Ignored
When a Voice Is Taken, a Nation Is Heard
On a day set aside to honour the dignity and contribution of workers, an unsettling incident unfolded in Zimbabwe—one that has come to symbolise a deeper, more troubling reality. At a Workers’ Day event, Leslie Mhangwa, a democratically elected Member of Parliament, was forcibly prevented from addressing the very people he was chosen to represent. As he spoke about the pressing hardships facing ordinary citizens—rising inflation, stagnant wages, and the daily struggle to survive—the microphone was abruptly taken from him. The act, reportedly involving individuals aligned with ZANU-PF, was not merely disruptive. It was symbolic. It was the silencing of a nation.
“If an elected voice can be silenced, what remains for the ordinary citizen?”
Democracy Under Strain
In any democratic society, the right to speak—and to be heard—is not negotiable. It is foundational. Elected representatives are entrusted with the responsibility of carrying the voices of the people into public discourse. To deny them that platform is to erode the very essence of representation. This incident forces a difficult but necessary reflection: if a Member of Parliament can be publicly humiliated and denied the right to speak, what protection exists for the ordinary Zimbabwean? What space remains for truth?
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- Written by: Various Sources - Compiled by John Burke
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Demonstration at Zim Embassy plus Petition to 10 Downing Street
This article is timed to be published at 14:30 on the 21st April 2026 - some 30 minutes AFTER the full written Petition has been handed into the Door to 10 Downing Street - [10 Downing Street in London is the official residence and office of the prime minister of the United Kingdom, as the First Lord of the Treasury. Colloquially known as Number 10, the building is located in Downing Street, off Whitehall in the City of Westminster.]
Within this article is a link to the Full (and expanded Petition) - Including the House of Lords Debate on 15th April 2026 summary and links directly to their HANSARD Debate.
As ZHRO we have had plenty of experience in Petition hand overs and an article back in 2025 summarises that - called "16 Events Not Out" We trust this one will proceed as planned.
The day will start off atthe Zimbabwe Embassy for 12:00 noon - to allow the diasporans to congregates, sing and generally meet old [and new] friends. Around 13:15 we will start the short walk down the strand and via Trafalgar Square - march into Whitehall - past Horse Guard's Parade, the DESNZ and other edifices of the United Kingdom's Government. Then to the entrance of Downing Street, where the security services will check the ID's of the 6 Petitioners and only when satisfied, let us through the gates - then airport security type checks - then escourted by a Police Constable - and usually very friendly indded, and happy to talk about the history of the area!
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- Written by: Various ZHRO Members and Other Groups
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The opinions below are from those ZHRO members who attended the well supported demonstration at the Zimbabwe Embassy from 12:00 noon until late! We have also collated many photos of the day (ZHRO Flickr PRO Account) - graphically recording the support and people who were behind this vital (non-celebration of:) Zimbabwe's Independence - 46 years ago on 18th April 1980 - so much potential then - but in practice NOTHING delivered - except endless promises and propaganda - carefully orchestrated globally but the MINORITY Zanu PF JUNTA!
A good number of ZHRO members attended - even those who will also attend the Demo-Petition (Delivery to 10 Downing St) on the 21st April 2026 - in just a few days time - with many in the diaspora - travel costs can be (and are) a deciding factor - so those who attend both - hat's off you you!
But as expected and warned by ZHRO there were Zanu PF disrutors on hand to try and break up the whole protest and demonstration - unfortunately (for them) the Zanu PF Minority just did not have the numbers!!
Chenayi on Twitter Chenayi at 10:40 am - 18th Apr 2026
""This is what happened …""
""We arrived at around 10:40 and guess who was waiting for us there … as soon as they saw us setting up they started getting speakers out and singing the zanu pf threatening songs""
- Tengesa uone mashura
- Pasi nemhandu etc
""A 'clash' (words were spoken etc) ensued we were [at thar time] outnumbered because the protest was still an hour and a half away from starting … thankfully we had notified the police in advance and straight after this altercation the police phoned me and I explained .. they came out in no time and diffused the situation. What was interesting is that according the police the guy in green is an embassy official. This diplomatic post must serve all Zimbabweans, not just the young not so young 4ED!!""
""Unfortunately prior to this moment the guy in the orange T-shirt pushed me and stomped my toes with his foot and started cursing at me … The really sad part is when Zimbabwe is truly free these ‘young’ women 4ED and zanu pf ‘youth’ league will also go back to enjoy their birthright.""
""We are all here in this cold country because of Zanu PF ‘s oppressive rule: -- the 'Maths' is not matching"" - Chenayi Mutambasere
Opinion: -- Why are Zimbabwe Embassy Officials involved in such 'tactics' - Even Ambassador Colonel Christain Katsande had the diplomatic good grace to conduct his "cheer-leading" efforts away from the protestors -
and is it not surprising that there are demonstrations?? When the 2013 Constitution is under attack by the illegal regime; But that's the point, they are illegal - Zanu PF have simply 'OCCUPIED' parliament without the votes to justify their claimed "Majority"
Note: This article is an ongoing project - lots more opinions to publish overthe coming days!
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- Written by: Rumbidzai Thelma Chidewu; plus a contribution from John Burke
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Joint Statement & Call to Action
Standing Together for Zimbabwe's Democracy: Two Days, One Voice
There are moments in the life of a people when history refuses to wait. 18 April 2026 is one of them. On the forty-sixth anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence — a day already freighted with meaning, sacrifice, and hope — Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom will take to the streets of London in a demonstration that carries the unmistakable weight of a second independence movement: not from colonial rule this time, but from the creeping authoritarianism that threatens to hollow out the constitutional democracy their forebears won.
At noon, outside Zimbabwe House at 429 The Strand — the symbolic seat of Zimbabwean state authority in London — demonstrators will gather in firm, peaceful, and unequivocal rejection of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB 3). Three days later, on 21 April 2026 at 14:00, a formal written petition will be delivered directly to the UK Prime Minister and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) — placing the diaspora's opposition before those with the standing to raise Zimbabwe's democratic crisis at the highest diplomatic levels.
These are not two isolated events. They are two movements of a single, sustained declaration: that the Zimbabwean people — at home and in the diaspora — will not stand silently as their constitution is rewritten against them.
Why CAB 3 cannot pass unchallenged
The organisers of the April 18 demonstration have made their position plain: they are completely against CAB 3. The proposed amendments, they argue, undermine the rule of law, weaken democratic institutions, and erode the rights of ordinary citizens. "This is not just a policy disagreement," one organiser has said. "It is about safeguarding the fundamental principles of democracy. CAB 3 represents a dangerous shift that must be resisted."
The banners will read "Zanu PF Must Go" and "Zanu PF regime STOP ......." — not the language of faction or party, but of principle. Participants describe the march as a peaceful but firm stand against governance changes they believe could consolidate power and reduce accountability; what many are calling, without hesitation, "constitutional backsliding."