THE ruling Zanu PF will Thursday stage a demonstration at the United States Embassy and the European Union Ambassador’s office to register its dismay over the killing of black-American George Floyd, in clear breach of Zimbabwe’s strict lockdown restrictions.
Zanu PF National Political Commissar Victor Matemadanda confirmed the demonstration Monday at a press briefing at the party’s headquarters in downtown Harare.
Matemadanda also invited opposition MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa and his supporters to join the demonstration.
Ironically, three MDC Alliance female youth leaders in Harare West MP, Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri, and Netsai Marova were arrested and charged with breaking the current lockdown rules when they participated in an anti-government demonstration in Harare’s Warren Park suburb.
After staging the demonstration over worsening food shortages in the country, the three activists were abducted at a roadblock near the National Sports Stadium and were found a day later claiming torture and sexual abuse in the hands of suspected state security agents. They are currently hospitalised at a private hospital receiving treatment.
However, Matemadanda said Zanu PF’s Thursday demonstration was legal and above board.
“We are not going to war but that we are not happy over the killing of George Floyd. So, social distancing should be maintained and we beg people to wear face masks. I want Zimbabweans to know that we are going to march at the American Embassy to register our displeasure not as Zanu PF but as Zimbabweans,” he said.
“How would you suffocate a person in daylight and no one decides to intervene and save a life? What saddens us is that the US and EU ambassadors resident in Zimbabwe despite crying, making a lot of noise about people who claim that they have been abducted but are still alive, have not commented (on Floyd’s death).
“America is no longer qualified to speak on human rights. Trump must no longer blow his trumpet.
“They want to worry about animals, tarnishing nations for mismanagement of animals. We are being affected by CITES because we can’t sell our elephants. They want us to keep our elephants whilst they kill our brothers and sisters.”
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
