Harare — On Thursday, Zimbabwe’s foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo threatened to cut off diplomatic ties with the US after he sharply criticised US ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols and called him an “opposition citadel”.
The scathing attack on the US ambassador has left relations between the two countries at a new low, despite efforts by Zimbabwe’s government to re-engage with the US, which has imposed economic sanctions on the country.
Moyo’s attack on Nichols came after the US diplomat rubbished the Sadc campaign to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe and said corruption, not sanctions, are behind the country’s economic crisis.
On October 25, the day Sadc set to support lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe, the US responded by slapping more sanctions on state security minister Owen Ncube, accusing him of human rights abuses and involvement in a recent series of state-sanctioned abductions against those who oppose the government.
Ncube is a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the new sanctions were seen as a slap in the face for the president.
In a strongly worded statement, Moyo, a former army general who announced the military coup to topple former president Robert Mugabe in 2017, said Zimbabwe is ready to ignore the US.
COMMENTS
And who will be hurt???????? The answer is very very obvious!!!!
USAID in Chimanimani is vital and ongoing. The politicians may be annoyed and inconvenienced by the 141 of them on the sanctions list, what of the thousands receiving help each and every day here after the Cylone?
Yes clever one, cut off relations with your largest donor, the one that tells you the truth when it hurts. Rather than admit your failing you decide to show how really stupid you are
Yes please, kick out the Americans – I am quite certain that Russia will be even more generous than the US in future.
Mr President… Mr President , Zimbabwe have cut off relations with the USA” “I tell you bad!” “Mr president perhaps you do not release where Zimbabwe is” “Russia?, Ucrainwhat?” “No Mr T It’s in Africa” “Show me where” “Just minute Mr T, a fly is covering up the map and it’s underneath it” ” well that’s also bad, very bad” “yea Mr T” “Shows you that alligator covered wall is working”. “yes Mr T”
It shows how poor Zanu Pf is in allocating posts. Who really choose this Moyo to be a foreign affairs minister. In a country where they are millions of young intelligent people how can such a vital post be given to a shallow minded person. Do you think Americans will have sleepless nights because you expel the ambassador. All you are doing is creating one extra rovha in a country where 99.9% are jobless. The Zimbavwean ambassador in America will be expelled and will come to join another heap of jobless Zanoids. America does not live on donations from Zimbabwe. Do not be fooled Russia and China have nothing to give. Quickly reverse your line of thinking otherwise the consequences can be far greater than what you can imagine basing on the fact that we have millions of poor people who can not access medication in China as you do when you are sick.
I agree with the USA ambassador Nichols, it is corruption and greed on the part of the Zimbabwean government that is the cause of the economic hardships in Zimbabwe not targeted sanctions. Rhodesia thrived under comprehensive sanctions and developed the current infrastructure that has been ruined by zanup starting with mugabe. managagwa is worse than mugabe and as along as zanupf and their incopetent ilk are in charge of the country, there will never be any progress. By the way i am a Zimabwean,living in exile due to the currpt and inept nature of the government. Pasi with corruption.
Trump is failing to sleep over the threat from ZANUPF comrades
For such situations in the UK they have a saying which goes something like, “cutting off your nose to spite your face”.
Who but the US is always coming to our rescue when ED and his crazy gang are forcing us to die of starvation?
Is this not a perfect example of ED cutting of our noses to spite his overfed face?
And in the meantime, China and Russia are laughing their heads off…heads with noses of course. Noses that can smell out cheap Zimbabwe minerals at 10 000 kilometers.