G40 fugitives in anti-Zim crusade
Herald Reporter
FUGITIVE G40 members, who are hiding in South Africa, are behind the recent anti-Zimbabwe campaign responsible for inventing a non-existent crisis and have been engaging various regional players in a desperate effort to isolate the country.
Unbeknown to many users of social media platforms, the cabal of fugitives has hatched a devious blitz on Twitter that gives the impression of a Zimbabwe in crisis.
The members of the G40 cabal which had captured the former President during the First Republic recently met African National Congress’ (ANC) secretary-general Elias Sekgobelo “Ace” Magashule of South Africa where they apparently fed him with wrong impressions of the situation obtaining in the country.
Messrs Saviour Kasukuwere, Walter Mzembi and Patrick Zhuwao, who are all wanted in the country for various reasons met with Cde Mugashule and apparently misled him that there was a crisis in Zimbabwe.
Impeccable sources told The Herald that the G40 fugitives, who also include Jonathan Moyo, had hoped that they would be bloodshed on July 31.
“When they came up with the #uly 31, they already had designed the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter, however there was no bloodshed and they carried it nonetheless. To sustain it, they began to cook up pictures and also went to engage the regional powerhouse South Africa, all they want is to illegally remove the Government,” a source said.
The efforts of the former G40 functionaries are designed to place the country yet again on the spotlight to justify foreign interference.
In a statement, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana dismissed suggestions that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe.
“To set the record straight, there is no crisis or implosion in Zimbabwe. Neither has there been any abduction or ‘war’ on citizens. Like any other country in the world, Zimbabwe has been enforcing Covid-19 regulations intended to safeguard and protect the lives of all citizens. Where necessary, the law has been fairly applied,” said Mr Mangwana.
Zimbabwe, like most of the world countries, is observing a national lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic which has killed more than 80 people in a very short space of time.
Cases of the pandemic are increasing on a daily basis and the Government took a difficult decision to curtail human movement so as to curb its spread. The measures that are regularly reviewed in light of the severity of the pandemic have forced Government to introduce a dusk to dawn curfew, a shorter working day, and the compulsory wearing of masks in public places, as well as observing hygienic practices and social distancing as prescribed by the World Health Organisation to mitigate the effects of the virus.
But under cover of the Covid-19 pandemic, opposition parties, working with some dark forces, have been trying to roll out demonstrations, that are not only illegal in as much as they breach the Covid-19 pandemic regulations but also put people’s lives at risk.
“Zimbabwe today, is peaceful and all citizens are free to go about their business as usual, within boundaries set by the lockdown regulations. His Excellency President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic believes in upholding the rule of law and freedom of speech. Indeed, it is the freedom of speech that is being unfortunately abused by those who seek to push a sinister political agenda,” Mr Mangwana said.
Since the advent of the global pandemic, which has shattered world economies, livelihoods and lives, Zimbabwe has played a proactive role in repatriating its citizens from across the globe as the Second Republic values the lives of its citizens.
“Government calls upon its counterparts in the region and internationally not to lose perspective that Zimbabwe has for long been suffering efforts to destabilise it by external forces that have a bone to chew with the country since the historic land reform programme.
“These efforts have in the past taken many forms from attempted insurgency, to the current organised smear campaign using blatantly false claims. Such smear campaigns are not unique to Zimbabwe and have been employed in other countries over the years,” he said.
“We urge those who wish us well to continue to partner us in developing our country. On our part, we will continue on the reform pathway that we are on to ensure a prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe for all citizens,” said Mr Mangwana.
The European Union and the United States imposed illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe after Harare embarked on an agrarian reform aimed at redistributing land to the black majority from the white minority.
The United Nations, African Union and Sadc among other regional blocs have called for the removal of the sanctions saying they were not justified.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF director for information and publicity Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi called upon the ANC to rely on credible sources of information and not third parties to come to conclusions.
“Zanu PF takes exception to the utterances that have been attributed to Cde Ace Magashule, the Secretary General of the ANC where he appeared hoodwinked by those seeking to destabilise Zimbabwe through peddling social media falsehoods. As a revolutionary sister party, it has never been in our tradition to censure a fellow revolutionary movement or leaders using megaphone approaches, moreso when such utterances are misinformed and baseless to say the least. Different countries have employed different measures and tactics to enforce Covid-19 imposed lockdowns on a non-compliant public.
“We have seen on social media South African soldiers beating up people ruthlessly using feasts and sjamboks while in some regrettable circumstances, we have seen them spraying rubber bullets on their citizens, resulting in serious injuries and deaths, to the extent that it has been reported that members of the South African Defence Forces (SANDF) killed 8 non-compliant citizens in the streets but we have not uttered a word in public despite President Mnangagwa being the Chair of the Sadc Troika on Peace and Defence,” said Cde Mugwadi.
Cde Mugwadi said Zimbabwe respect its neighbours and for that reason the country does not interfere in matters relating to the sovereignty of other nations without getting the full details.
“Honestly, for the ANC or Magashule to rely on a fortune-seeking organisation like Tajamuka or faceless social media posts is as disturbing as it is shocking. We have seen our people suffering from xenophobic attacks with some ANC leaders spreading hostile messages that are xenophobic but we have sought to address that diplomatically. We deserve respect for once,” said Cde Mugwadi.
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