Mangwana Threatens "The Mirror" Over Report Of ZANU PF Involvement In Mozambique Elections
Nick Mangwana, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, has issued a stern warning to The Mirror, a local newspaper based in Masvingo, suggesting that the publication will soon face consequences for its reporting.
Mangwana’s comments came after The Mirror published an article alleging that ZANU PF facilitated the participation of Zimbabweans in Mozambique’s disputed October 9 elections.
Mangwana accused the newspaper of “wantonly breaking the law with brazen frequency,” criticizing it for what he described as irresponsible reporting.
Writing in the state-controlled The Herald, Mangwana vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that ZANU PF does not interfere in political events in neighbouring countries.
He said that while the party occasionally sends senior officials to the region for meetings and discussions, this should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of election interference or rigging.
The controversy intensified after several people from Masvingo were caught on camera admitting to having voted in Mozambique’s elections, sparking suspicions that Zimbabwean authorities may have played a role in facilitating vote rigging. Said Mangwana:
The strange thing is that initially these accusations were not coming from any participants in the Mozambican elections, but some media outfit in Masvingo which has been wantonly breaking the law with brazen frequency.
For this outfit, the writing is on the wall. Some Mozambican political parties only latched onto this accusation much later to try to explain away their performance during the elections.
But they know the truth that Zimbabwe did not send its nationals to vote in their elections, neither did it participate in any perceived rigging exercise, real or imagined.
The tragic part of all this is that there are Zimbabweans who are willing participants in the peddling of this disinformation.
Mangwana argued that these “falsehoods” not only misrepresented the situation but also put Zimbabweans living in neighboring countries at risk.
He claimed that the spreading of such claims had prompted Zimbabwe’s ambassadors in Botswana and Mozambique to issue public warnings, advising Zimbabweans living there to exercise caution.
The controversy comes amid a tense political backdrop, as Botswana held its general elections on October 30.
The elections resulted in a victory for the opposition, despite efforts by senior ZANU PF figures, including Patrick Chinamasa, who had campaigned for the ruling party.
The involvement of high-ranking ZANU PF officials in the Botswana election campaign further fueled suspicions of political interference. Said Mangwana:
Zimbabweans who spread false claims about their country’s so-called interference in neighbouring nations’ internal affairs are putting their own loved ones at risk of xenophobia.
This is why Zimbabwe’s ambassadors to Mozambique and Botswana have issued cautionary advice to Zimbabwean nationals, urging them to be mindful of their movements lest they fall victim.
Mangwana asserted that, as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe has consistently demonstrated its commitment to upholding democratic principles and supporting free and fair elections across the region. He said:
The country’s non-interference stance is evident in its professional participation in SADC’s electoral observer missions.
As the region continues to navigate electoral challenges, Zimbabwe’s commitment serves as a positive example for fellow member states.
The Zimbabwean Government will work with any leader democratically elected in their country according to the rules of that country. We don’t rig elections in our country or any other country for that matter.
More: Pindula News
