By Moses Matenga/Harriet Chikandiwa
INFORMATION permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana yesterday claimed there was no political, health and economic crisis in the country, but analysts immediately accused him of hypocrisy.
Mangwana released a statement after Ace Magashule, the secretary-general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party told a television news channel in that country that they were monitoring happenings in their northern neighbour and that they were discussing the deteriorating human rights situation.
Magashule also said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had raised the issue with his Zimbabwean counterpart, but Mangwana blamed “detractors bent on tarnishing the country’s image” of falsifying the situation in the country.
“To set the record straight, there is no crisis or implosion in Zimbabwe, neither has there been any abduction or war on citizens,” Mangwana said.
“Like any other country in the world, Zimbabwe has been enforcing COVID-19 lockdown regulations intended to safeguard and protect the lives of all citizens. Where necessary, the law has been fairly applied.”
Mnangagwa’s rule since he took power through a coup in November 2017, has been marked by protests, with the Zanu PF leader resorting to brute forceto thwart the protests. Mangwana’s claims were despite the arrest of several people including renowned author Tsitsi Dangarembga, her friend Julie Barnes and MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere for staging a peaceful protest on July 31.
The situation escalated last month when citizens mobilised for July 31 protests against corruption when Mnangagwa unleashed State agents on journalists and activists.
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His rule has also witnessed the collapse of the economy and deteriorating political situation in the country.
Dialogue between Mnangagwa and presidential candidates of the 2018 general elections, snubbed by MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, have failed to break the country’s political logjam.
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume were both arrested for allegedly inciting public violence ahead of the protests.
Another journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu is in hiding, fleeing State agents who recently besieged his home, harassed his family and abducted his nephew, Tawanda Muchehiwa, before dumping him after being tortured.
Mathuthu and Chin’ono, like the mainstream private Press, also exposed the First Family’s alleged involvement in abuse of COVID-19 funds.
Mangwana alleged that “Zimbabwe today, is peaceful and all citizens are free to go about their business as usual within the boundaries set by the lockdown regulations. President Mnangagwa’s second Republic believes in upholding the rule of law and freedom of speech. Indeed, it is this freedom of speech that is unfortunately being abused by those who seek to push a sinister political agenda.”
The international community, including the United Nations experts have accused Mnangagwa of using the COVID-19 lockdown regulations to silence opposing voices.
Political analyst Ernest Mudzengi said Mangwana was a government public relations officer and there was nothing contrary he could say, but denying something evident to everyone was the worst form of spin doctoring.
“It is unfortunate that the PR belongs to the bygone era. You cannot deny things everyone can prove to be lies. His statement is a public relations crisis in itself,” Mudzengi said.
Another political analyst Alexander Rusero said. “You should know that Nick Mangwana is not the wisest of the government spokespersons. He can’t fit in the shoes of his predecessor, George Charamba. His portfolio is too big a jacket for him to wear, there is nothing better you can expect from him. His utterances show how deranged he and Zanu PF are.
“When a government spokesperson who spent more than a decade selling his labour in a foreign land where upon his family has remained stuck ever since, tells you there is no crisis in Zimbabwe, know that reason has gone for a holiday. It’s so pathetic. As much as he tries, Nick does not fit an inch of the capabilities and competencies of his predecessor George Charamba inasmuch as relaying government propaganda as well as national narrative is concerned. Despite his composure as an engaging bureaucrat, Mangwana is at best craft illiterate and at worst craft incompetent in all matters pertaining Statecraft.”
