Own Correspondent

Former MDC and MDC-T stalwart Obert Gutu who has recently found comfort in the ruling ZANU PF programmes had criticised the above board joint statement by Western embassies on Friday.

The statement criticised President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Government for allegedly restricting peoples’ freedoms and calling for dialogue.

Gutu and his so called critics on ZANU PF said the the move by the embassies is an attempt to install a puppet administration in Zimbabwe.

The statement was released by Heads of Missions of Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

While acknowledging the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on daily life, the Western embassies said the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the disease were restricting freedoms.

“But Covid-19 must not be used as an excuse to restrict citizens’ freedoms. Freedom of the press, of opinion, of expression and of assembly are all universally recognised human rights and are guaranteed by the Zimbabwe’s constitution,” reads part of the statement.

“Of course, there are political and socio-economic challenges in Zimbabwe right now but then, give me just one country in the world that isn’t facing political and socio-economic challenges of its own during these difficult times brought about by the Covid-19 global pandemic,” said Gutu.

Mr Gutu said the US could not lecture Zimbabwe on human rights given the manner in which black people are wantonly killed by police in that country.

Mr Gutu said America “is literally on fire right now”.

“Black people are being routinely butchered by the police in cold blood. Even the very popular National Basketball Association (NBA) has been forced to cancel all games at the bubble in Florida because many star players are absolutely incensed by the mindless and cold-blooded murder and callous shooting of black men by racist white police officers.

“The United States of America should be the last country to lecture to anyone about human rights,” said Gutu.