LONDON (AFP) — Demonstrators marked Saturday the fifth anniversary of protests outside Zimbabwe's embassy in London, blasting President Robert Mugabe and vowing to keep up the fight against his regime.
The Zimbabwe Vigil has been held outside the embassy every Saturday since October 2002 to campaign for fairer elections and improved human rights in the former British colony.
Demonstrators chanted, sang and waved "No Mugabe No" banners outside the building on the Strand, one of central London's main thoroughfares.
"We are trying to raise awareness of the problems back home, we need to keep the situation in the public eye," said vigil co-ordinator Dumi Tutani.
"We won't rest until there are no more human rights abuses and until there are free and fair elections.
"There are people in Zimbabwe who don't have access to water or electricity. We have the highest child mortality rate in the world. Something needs to be done immediately."
British MP Kate Hoey joined in the demonstration.
"We are here today because Mugabe has not yet gone away," she said.
"He has dissipated his country. There is more depravation than ever, and there are people who are literally starving.
"We need to make sure the south African countries wake up and speak out and get rid of this dictator. While he is there, it is a blight on the whole of Africa."
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