Zimbabwe 'not seeking discord in the US'

By Shingai Nyoka

Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo has expressed his astonishment and concern over comments made by a US official suggesting the southern African nation was seeking to sow discord in the wake of violent US protests over the death of black man in police custody. 

Over the weekend, White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien had named Zimbabwe among US “adversaries”, including China and Iran, who were used social media to stoke tensions

Mr Moyo, who summoned US ambassador Brian Nichols to discuss the comments, said the allegations were “false and without factual foundation”.

“They are deeply damaging to a relationship already complicated by years of prescriptive megaphone diplomacy and economic sanctions,” he said.

“Zimbabwe is not and never has been an adversary of the United States.”

The US imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe nearly 20 years ago because of its human rights record. There have been efforts to re-engage with the US and other Western countries since Robert Mugabe was ousted as Zimbabwe’s president in a coup in 2017.

After the meeting Mr Nichols issued a statement saying that Mr Floyd’s “murder was a tragedy that filled Americans with horror and anger” and that his killer had been "charged with murder within days”.

He urged Zimbabwe to live up to its constitution to allow for freedom of speech and peaceful protest, pointing out that several government critics allegedly abducted or murdered over the last two decades were “still waiting for justice”.

He also noted that just last month three opposition Zimbabwean politicians were “arrested, assaulted and left for dead” for engaging in a peaceful protest.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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