Today, the 18th of January, as you all know, the MDC Reading Branch is holding a demonstration and fundraiser in Reading town. The demonstration is being held against the deliberate neglect of health care in Zimbabwe by the Zanu pf government that has resulted in many people dying from treatable conditions such as cold, headaches and minor injuries because of a lack of basic medicine and continuous strikes by underpaid clinicians. This has turned into a silent genocide which many people around the world need to know about. There are no bandages for people with diabetic leg ulcers, no pain killers, no ambulances; people are being ferried to hospital on wheelbarrows and when they get there they receive ‘care’ while lying on the floor because of bed shortages, and those on the beds with limited mobility end up with stage 4 bedsores. Things are that bad. Meanwhile, the Zanu leadership mainly General Chiwenga (the Vice President) and SB Moyo (the Minister of Foreign affairs) travel back and forth to Asia and South Africa to receive top of the range medical care on the taxpayers’ expense. We understand none of the Zanu leadership receive medical care in the country.
Basic health care is a human right and in Zimbabwe death by poor healthcare is another one of the many human rights abuses by the regime in Harare. The money for a decent health system is there but it is being plundered by the Zanu government.
In the light of this, our fundraising effort seeks to buy basic health and hygienic material such as bandages, pain killers, tampons which will donate to people particularly those living in the rural areas which are completely devoid of health care. We recognise that we do not have abundant resources but we believe the good people of Reading and the UK at large will help is in this humanitarian endeavour.
All MDC members in the UK are welcome to the demo and fundraiser. We expect a huge turn out. We will begin the event in Reading town where members and special guest speakers will adumbrate on the direness of the situation and what needs to happen. Following that, we will then embark on a march to the Pakistani Community Centre which is a short distance across Reading town. We will be chanting, we will sing, we will be dressed in party regalia and. all this will give us optimal coverage which will hopefully put this issue into minds of the UK public so that they not only support the impoverished people of Zimbabwe but also implore their MPs and civil groups to put pressure on the regime in Harare.
See you there.