The United States embassy in Zimbabwe has fingered president Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party for the disturbance, Wednesday, which resulted in the ambassador Bruce Wharton failing to officiate his planned meeting with Mutare residents.
In a statement, the embassy expressed disappointment as it stated that ZANU PF activists were not interested in discussion but went ahead to block the US envoy’s meeting.
Mutare has been the talk of Zimbabwean politics lately with ZANU PF several times wrestling the control of the city from the MDC-T party who hold the mayoral mandate and last year Local Government and National Housing Minister Ignatius Chombo suspended the MDC-T mayor Brian James under circumstances currently under scrutiny of the courts. Most Mutarians have expressed their dislike for president Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party and the recent events of the suspending of the mayor have seemed to increase MDC-T support which according to analysts rose stronger when president Robert Mugabe forcibly displaced the villagers of nearby Chiadzwa diamond fields.
The US embassy statement read:
‘In response to the protests today, January 16, which prevented Ambassador Wharton from engaging in a dialogue with the citizens of Manicaland at the Turner Memorial Library in Mutare, the U.S. Embassy releases the following statement:
‘While the U.S. values the right to peaceful protest, and notes it as a critical element of democracy, we regret that the roughly 130 ZANU-PF protestors were not interested in a conversation. Ambassador Wharton spent about 15-20 minutes listening to their messages – written on placards, and verbal – but was met with no opportunity for constructive conversation.
‘The U.S. Ambassador recognizes the critical need to work together to build a way forward but believes that this must begin with a respectful sharing of ideas.
‘Ambassador Wharton is on his first visit to Manicaland with a schedule that includes visits to USAID projects and meetings with businesspeople, academics, local authorities, and citizens. Please find attached the remarks that Ambassador Wharton was planning to give at the Turner Memorial Library public event.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Wharton has communicated his prepared remarks for the planned Food for Thought session at the Turner Memorial Library American Corner in Mutare.
A comment from ZANU PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo could not be obtained at the time of writing.
9 Replies to “US embassy blames ZANU PF for Mutare meeting disturbance”
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Travel ban reciprocated!
This man is too diplomatic for nothing. Please America bring back Christopher Dell. That was an amassador after my heart.
Some zato thighvendor were said 2 hv stripped in protest.Kikiki these werent mutareans.Unotamba nasamanyika he acts seanokuda then change gedhe,màgä.rø kupillow.Cum electns u wil c.
In Zanooland everything defies logic when other african countries are busy developing and building their economies, these primitive baboons are busy tearing zimbabwe apart into the stone age for self enrichment and entitlement. How about the so called Chinese friends who are busy enslaving and ill-treating our very own country man and woman in Zimbabwe? How about the way our so called friends are destroying our environment and wildlife with the complicit support of zanoo pee eff thugs? How about the selling of our national resources, minerals to the Chinese for a song whilst the whole populace wallows in poverty?
mr ambassador we aware of your hidden agenda. It wont work here go back to america you asshole fucken gay.
Zanoo pee eff the occult party are scared shitless they have had to bus loads of hungry, petrified and drunk peasants to stage this demostration. According to the article the ambassador was touring projects funded by the US government. This was not a public protest but well-organised way of causing disruptions by zanoo pee eff criminals to prevent the people from hearing the truth of what the Ambassador had to say. He would have exposed the lies and myths created by the occult party about the self imposed sanctions these thieving bastards have put on our people. The article clearly states that the people were not only interested in dialogue but disruptions.
Mr Warthog must know why he is here before trying to take a confrontational stance with the majority Zimbabweans. Could he explain the reason why he had invited MDC T officials to his so called residents meeting/campaign rally? We applaud the decision taken by members of the people’s party in Mutare to bar this mercenary masquarading as US Ambassador from addressing a political rally on behalf of the MDC T.
Go away Uncle Tom. You want to give us carrots whilst hiding a big stick in your big bu.tt. Go away!! Toko waro rakanyadziswa. Mwaita wana wasu. At least mwaratidze kuti mwakainda ku skuru.
“He wanted to officiate his planned meeting with Mutare residents” what nonsense,trying to campaign for MDC? thanks comrades for a job well done.