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A birthday cake for Bob at embassy protest in South Africa
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
February 21, 2008

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news210208/bdaycake210208.htm

On Thursday a paper birthday cake for Robert Mugabe and his 84th birthday was displayed at a protest organized by the Zimbabwe Revolutionary Youth Movement (ZRYM) in South Africa. Group President Simon Mudekwa said about 200 Zimbabwean youths took part in the protest outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in Pretoria.

The birthday cake had miniature figures of slain heroes Josiah Tongogara and Herbert Chitepo. Mudekwa said they did this because Mugabe has a legacy of killing people and they wanted to make a point about the slain heroes. A figure of the late ZANU-PF national commissar Border Gezi was also included on the cake. Mudekwa explained that the youth believe Gezi was also slain by Mugabe because of his popularity around the country.

The youth are calling for a Diaspora vote and free and fair elections on March 29th. Mudekwa said they handed out T-shirts that said, "The Party is over for Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF", "Are You hungry enough?" and "Are you angry enough?"

The ZRYM President thanked the youth that participated in the demo for "finally realizing that we have to fight for our country". He said: "We cannot afford another 5 years under Mugabe's rule."

The group delivered a petition for the Zimbabwean High Commissioner, Simon Khaya Moyo, at the embassy in Pretoria earlier this month threatening to take action to shut down the embassy unless their demands were met. Mudekwa said Khaya Moyo has refused to come out and address the youth at their demonstrations.

The group will also be conducting a demonstration at Beitbridge Border Post on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. At least 6 buses will be collecting ZRYM members and supporters from Johannesburg, Pretoria and Mussina on Friday.

Details about the schedule for the demonstrations can be found at their website at www.zimrevyouths.blogspot.com.

Meanwhile the Global Zimbabwe Forum for North America will launch their campaign for a diaspora vote on Friday February 22nd, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in Washington DC. They will place a symbolic voting booth outside the embassy. They will also deliver a petition to both the Zimbabwean and South African embassies in the United States.

The Global Zimbabwe Forum was formed earlier this year to help coordinate the activities of Zimbabwean civil society groups around the world. Member organizations have launched campaigns calling for Zimbabweans outside the country to be allowed to vote on March 29th. They are urging all Zimbabweans who can to go home to vote in the elections.

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