Statement by MDC North America Province (MDC- NAP) on the Diplomatic Gaffe by Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri on the Reason for the CoronaVirus Pandemic.
MDC- NAP condemns the reckless and inflammatory utterances by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Defense, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri. Speaking at a rally in Chinhoyi, a Northern town in Zimbabwe, the ZANU-PF Defense Minister said that Coronavirus is the work of God punishing countries who imposed sanctions on Zimbabweans, adding that these countries’ economies are now screaming just like they did to the Zimbabwe economy. Oppah Muchinguri also said that the coronavirus will teach the US President Donald Trump that “he is not God.”
Oppah’s diplomatic gaffe is reported in this link:
Fact: The Corona Virus was first detected in China (Wuhan city) in December 2019, and worldwide over 150,000 people have been infected and 6,000 killed by the virus to date. China doesn’t have sanctions on Zimbabwe. The United States and the European Union imposed targeted sanctions on then-President Mugabe and his inner circle of high-ranking officials and government institutions for crimes against humanity, denying the citizens of Zimbabwe democracy.
The government minister’s distasteful and imprecise utterings do not reflect the character and ubderstanding of Zimbabweans towards a serious global crisis like the Coronavirus outbreak. Her mentality is typical ZANU-PF; despotic, repressive and irresponsible, which has cost the lives of tens of thousands of citizens and caused the economy to collapse.
ZANU-Pf stalwarts, including Oppah, claim to be freedom fighters who liberated the people but have become quack revolutionaries who betray the ideals that brought them to power. The ZANU-PF government is guilty of treachery, crimes against humanity, cultural betrayal, economic devastation, while blaming western countries for the country’s economic woes. Oppah’s psychotic, ignorant and irresponsible statement towards those who have succumbed to the Coronavirus pandemic is typical ZANU-PF brutality that has enabled armed forces to rape, abduct, muzzle, torture and kill citizens with impunity.
The respect and spirit of Zimbabweans on the globally devastating Coronavirus is well captured in President Chamisa’s statement on the epidemic, found in this link:
International engagement is one of MDC’s five-Point Plan key areas of importance, and MDC shuns irresponsible and ignorant utterances that can destroy relationships with other nations.
As the MDC-NAP, we sympathize and empathize with the people of China and Italy that have been hit hardest, as well as all countries that have reported infections and deaths. We also pray for countries, like our nation of Zimbabwe and neighboring states, that are starting to experience or are still to experience this pandemic, that they are prepared and have resources to treat and combat the spread of this virus. These, we know are the sentiments shared by all peace-loving, long-suffering democracy seeking Zimbabweans as they watch this pandemic approach their country where the healthcare system has crashed because of the corruption and inept management of resources by ZANU-PF government, where Oppah holds a ministerial position.
Tawanda Dzvokora
NAP-MDC Chairperson.
with
Dr. Hatifanani
Secretary for International Relations and Advocacy.