Source: US, French Ambassadors had a hand in recent riots: Chombo – Sunday News Jul 10, 2016
Harare Bureau—
UNITED States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Harry Thomas and his French counterpart, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse, helped engineer last week’s civil disturbances in Harare and Bulawayo, Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo has said. Minister Chombo said the two were working through dodgy groups and leveraging on social media to foment civil disobedience and ultimately destabilise Zimbabwe. His National Security counterpart, Minister Kembo Mohadi told our Harare Bureau, “We will continue to gather more intelligence on the disturbances.”
A group going by the name “Tajamuka/Sesijikile”, fronted by former MDC-T youth leader, Promise Mkhwananzi, has been calling for civil disturbances through social media while National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe president, Stern Zvorwadza has also been on a crusade to foment an uprising against the Government.
Sources told our Harare Bureau that Ambassador Thomas has met civil organisations representatives almost weekly since his posting to Harare in December 2015. On 6 May, 2016, Mr Thomas met Pastor Evan Mawarire at his official residence, and later tweeted, “Wonder if #Zimbabwe’s #ThisFlag movement will spread to the US and other nations.”
Mawarire trades under the banner “#ThisFlag” and has been openly propagating an anti-Government sentiment mainly on social media platforms WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook. Ambassador Delahousse is also believed to have met Mawarire several times.
Minister Chombo said the Government has intelligence linking the French and American embassies in Harare to last week’s sporadic disturbances. Our Harare Bureau could not determine what action Government would take.
“We have gathered from our intelligence that there is the involvement of Western embassies in all these disturbances that have been taking place. The evidence that we have gathered so far shows that the French Embassy in Harare and other Western embassies are part of this plot as part of their regime change machinations.”
Dr Chombo challenged the embassies to deny it.
“We know for certain that these groups are receiving sponsorship from these embassies. My challenge to them is to come out in the public to deny this. I know they cannot do so because they know the truth. I also want to challenge the protesters who are behind this violence to go and protest at the French embassy and the United States embassy for the sanctions that the West imposed on Zimbabwe.
“Of course, they will never do that because they know that the Americans are their sponsors. Any element or individual who causes unnecessary chaos and mayhem will have nobody else to blame except themselves. The duty of police is to maintain law and order, and they will carry out this task with their full might.”
Last week, Harare and Bulawayo witnessed sporadic disturbances following calls by shadowy elements for workers not to report for duty and to sabotage certain businesses. Several characters were arrested, and are being charged with public violence. The incidents appeared co-ordinated as they began with protests at Beitbridge Border Post over the import restrictions recently introduced by the Government.
Authorities quickly pointed to a third force, with the Cross Border Traders’ Association distancing itself from the skirmishes that saw vehicles and a Zimra warehouse being burnt and buildings stoned. That became more apparent as photographs of characters with T-shirts emblazoned with the hashtag Tajamuka emerged. Images from disturbances in Harare days later also show “protesters” wearing similar T-shirts.
COMMENTS
Why can’t Zimbabwe government kick these criminals from US Embassy and the French Embassy, Harare out of the country? If those who got caught by the Zimbabwean police and upon interogation spilled the beans against their paymasters (US French et al) then Zimbabwe must move swiftly in expelling these crime mafia operatives. It’s time that Zimbabwe government take charge and expose the criminalities of these henchmen of the Ziions!
You are brain washed go back to school cant you see chombo is lying
The problem is that Zimbabwe still respects these criminals, yet they have done nothing for Zimbabwe.
We told the government long ago and did not act.
Lastly goods that go to Embassies are not custom checked and a lot of illegal stuff is being shipped into Zimbabwe Via these Embassies.
This is fact,hand grenades,night vision equipment, food that is chemically processed.
Once consumed you will died a nice slow death
This food activates cancer in the body and many more stuff an Who know what they have done to Morgan since his been dinning with these criminals.
I call on our government to please please closed down these embassies with immediate effect.
Zimbabweans wake up please , wake up Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe please please wake up Now!
Oh for heavens sake! Where do you come up with such hogwash?
Not corruption, unemployment, the lack of health care but … Western embassies are to blame for the riots. Maybe the Zimbabwe population, after voting idiots into power for 30 years, has finally figured out that 80% unemployment and selective blindness towards unjustice does not serve the general interest. It would be poetic justice if Mugabe went the Kadhafi way.
Mr Chombo you are a liar blood liar people of zim are tired of you oppressing them we know that whenever there is failure you lie if usa whose money you are using because you have failed to run your country helps zimbabweans to get freedom what is wrong with that just as The Chinese you are puppet to are helping you to oppress zimbabweans you are old enough to stop lying. Fools are good and pin pointing you are thieves and liars chinese are muffias ninjas they steal and go its stupid to see ur minister pleading for aid from britan why coz you acted like hungry babbons in the field you looted you have fate accounts oversees the rich are onlu minister of zanu who own farms zanu partness you can kill all who oppose you because you are heartless the truth is you are failed dictators zim is ruled by black thieves who use power and not wisdom to rule minister of zimbabwe are like educated fools who rule by force murders who make people disappear shame on you ghandanga
Chombo you are a useless lying thief. If you thyink that the Zimbabwean people are not aware of your useless lying ways you are wrong. The Zimbabwean Intelligence Services couldn’t find their backsides with a mirror.