Zimbabwean political leader, nominee to be Deputy Agriculture Secretary and activist Roy Bennett will be joining political commentator and consultant Joe Trippi for a rare television appearance on the MSNBC show 1600: Penn Ave tonight at 6:00pm.

Bennett has been a leading voice for reform and action to end the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe that has plunged this formerly proud nation into abject poverty. For his efforts, Bennett has faced harassment and arrest on trumped-up charges brought by repressive ruler Robert Mugabe’s supporters. Bennett was just recently released on bail and will be back in court next month, so make sure you’re in front of your TV or have set your TiVo, and tell your friends about this rare chance to hear one of Zimbabwe’s most important voices.

Joe Trippi has been working for weeks to help secure the release of Roy Bennett, rallying people in the United States and Zimbabwe to speak out. You can read more about that work on his blog.

Despite the new unity government that includes Bennett’s MDC party, Mugabe is still harassing and imprisoning political opponents and humanitarian and civil society leaders. An unknown number are still in the prison Bennett was just released from. Until these outrages end, rule of law is established and the unity government is pursued in earnest, it will be impossible for Zimbabwe to rebuild its shattered economy and infrastructure, take on widespread hunger, and end Africa’s worst cholera outbreak in 19 years.

But Zimbabwe can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re asking the African Union – the official guarantor of the unity government deal – to do everything in its power to support the new government when possible and put pressure on those within it who are acting in bad faith. You can add your voice by signing our petition to the AU here and follow our continuing Zimbabwe coverage right here on the ONE blog.

-Aaron Banks