These few now pushed onto Cranleigh Village - where "emergency supplies" of water {some frozen} were handed over. Again, these few pushed onto Bramley and Woneresh {Old} Railway Station where Mevis had to 'retire' due to the pain in her feet - having covered 60km - as it was too Hot! However there is no denying that this was a considerable achievement for Mevis, having not gone this far before - all due to the benefit of previous training - including a tough climb to "Simon's Seat" in North Yorkshire See Previous article [CLICK HERE] Again the Walk for Freedom Ambulance Service was there to assist!
Those 4 heroes remaining {Rashiwe, Sarah, Moses and Sipilien} then pushed on in pitch darkness to Guildford Railway Station - it was now well past midnight, so the early hours of Sunday 14th August.
Finally arriving at Guildford around 3:00am Sunday morning the final 4 were truly tired. Needing more blister plasters, changes of foot-ware and more water - and a little food. The Station Car park was pretty much deserted, with a couple of drunken disco-revelers awaiting their taxi-ride home {we assume}!
Pryford Lock 04:30am. We set off as the dawn was breaking {Rashi, Moses, Siplilen and now John - giving up his driving duties, and Sarah replacing him} to start this leg at 05:00 and the dawning sun. These 4 pushed on, although Rashiwe was having some considerable pain in both knees, and was walking via will-power alone.
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| Rudgwick 22:15 Saturday 13th Aug | Coxes Lock 06:20 Sunday 14th Aug |
Another Tik Tok video was created upon our arrival at "Geno's Cafe at Walton-on-Thames. Moses and Sipilien were battling on in spite of blisters and knee problems. However the most disappointed was Rashiwe, who simply could not attempt the final 8.5km due to the agony she was in with both knees - because it had been too hot! She was especially disappointed as she has completed this full walk 5 times already {2017, 18, 19, 20 and 21} - plus the 2016 walk to the Zimbabwe Embassy. No-one can deny that Rashiwe is a true hero of this "Walk for Freedom" - the Walking in August {in respect of Hero's Day} was an original idea by Rashiwe herself.
So we rested a little at this stage, and {Moses, Sipilien and myself} set off at 8:00am Sunday 14th August 2022, for the final leg of this year's "Walk for Freedom" - fortunately due to it being in the early morning we were in the shade of the trees for most of this final stage. However when we did step into the full sunlight - the heat on our necks and legs was clearly taste of the problems we would have faced much later in the day -
IT WAS TOO HOT!
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| Sunday 09:47 at Hampton Court Railway Station | At last the Finishing Line - Hampton Court Station |
So we arrived at Hampton Court Railway Station at 09:40 on the Sunday. We just sat down on the kerbside. Chipo was as exuberant as ever - singing and hailing the Walkers! Rashiwe limped out of the Car {ambulance} to join us too - even through her considerable discomfort, hobbling over to greet us.
But, hey thats the point of the "Walk for Freedom" - it's to represent the STRUGGLE, for justice, for freedom and free elections, the hardships suffered by the majority of Zimbabweans, both in Zimbabwe and in the diaspora. The unequal treatment of the majority by the military backed Zanu PF 'cabal'. It's to remember those who were shot by the Army on 1st August 2018, it's to remember those past and present who were tortured and murdered - because they wanted these freedoms, and to be part of an opposition - an oppostion who merely want their INDEPENDENCE - that fell due to them on the 18th April 1980 - And they are STILL WAITING. Waiting for ZEC to STOP being PARTISAN, for the Judiciary to STOP being PARTISAN, for the Military to STOP being PARTISAN, for the Police to STOP being PARTISAN and all organs of the STATE to STOP being PARTISAN.
When the looting and blatant corruption stops, when there is a free, fair and genuine elections - then Zimbabwe can become a growing Nation, to stop having inflation at over 500%, and a worthless currency at 1:1000 to the USD. To have food in the shops, to have the benefit of the mineral wealth of the Nation used to leverage infrastructure that was available in 1980. Not the broken wreck of a "stone-age" situation, whilst the "elite" can buy and drive Lamborghini's, Ferrari's etc, and live in palaces! This cannot be the reward for a mere government - whose primary function can only be to serve the population - not rule over them.
Zanu PF must go, and go now - their failure this last 42 years cannot be attributed to anything other than their own greed, inefficiency and incompetence! They have no 'skill's that suit their status of their claimed positions within their false government - THEY ARE SIMPLY MASQUERADING AS A gOVERNMENT!
- small "g" to denote their abrogation to the real duty of a government.
