Zimbabwe’s ruling leftist party, Zanu-PF, will stage anti-U.S. demonstrations on Thursday at the United States Embassy and the European Union Ambassador’s office in direct violation of the country’s ban on large gatherings to contain its worsening coronavirus outbreak, New Zimbabwe reported on Tuesday.
Zanu-PF’s national political commissar Victor Matemadanda confirmed the planned demonstrations at a press conference in the capital, Harare. Matemadanda said he “invited” Nelson Chamisa, president of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and his supporters to join the anti-U.S. demonstrations.
On Sunday, U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien described Zimbabwe, China, and Russia as “foreign adversaries.” He accused them of using social media to stoke unrest and “sow discord” in America, currently enduring violent and, in some cases, deadly riots nationwide following the recent death of a black man named George Floyd while in police custody in the state of Minnesota. The officer involved in his death was arrested.
In response, Zimbabwe’s foreign ministry spokesman James Manzou reportedly summoned U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols on Monday to “explain” O’Brien’s remarks. After the meeting, Nichols reminded Zimbabwe’s ruling party of its longstanding record of violations against human rights. He said:
Mr. Floyd’s killer was charged with murder in days. Every American official, from our president to Minneapolis African-American Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, has vowed to deliver justice. Zimbabweans surely wonder when, after so many years, Patrick Nabanyama, Itai Dzamara, and Paul Chizuze will get justice? Americans will continue to speak out for justice whether at home or abroad.
The ambassador referred to missing Zimbabwean political activists from opposition parties who have disappeared without a trace in recent years after standing up to the ruling party.
News of the planned demonstrations comes as Zimbabwean troops and police reinforced coronavirus lockdown measures in Harare on Tuesday, tightening control of people’s movement amid a recent surge in coronavirus infections. Zimbabwe health authorities say the number of cases has “more than tripled” to 203 over the past few days, Reuters reported on Tuesday. President Emmerson Mnangagwa had recently eased Zimbabwe’s lockdown since it was first imposed at the end of March to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
The MDC accuses the ruling party of taking advantage of the government’s restrictions on movement during the pandemic to target its members, calling Tuesday’s reimposed lockdown in Harare politically motivated.
“So if this is about Covid-19 [Chinese coronavirus] why is it only happening in Harare? This appears to be more about politics than medicine or health,” MDC senator David Coltart wrote on Twitter.
The MDC says Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF party is “trying to suppress protests over a worsening economy” and attempting to “stop MDC supporters from gathering at the courts” where the MDC leader’s lawyer was due to appear after being arrested by ruling party authorities on Monday.