ZANU-PF chief whip says Zimbabwe Foreign Minister must call US embassy official to order

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front chief whip Pupurayi Togarepi says Zimbabwe Foreign Minister Frederick Shava should call United States embassy official Lawrence Socha to order for insulting the country’s leadership.

Socha told a press conference in Harare that the United States had imposed fresh sanctions on President Emmerson Mnangagwa,his wife Auxillia, Vice-President Constantino and eight others including businessman Kudakwashe Tagwireyi because of gross abuses of political, economic and human rights.

The US said it had lifted sanction on Zimbabwe but had introduced fresh ones on 11 individuals and three companies.

Critics, however, say Zimbabwe is still under sanctions as the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act which bars the country from obtaining international credit is still in force.

Others have called on the US to provide proof of corruption and human rights abuses by the 11 that are still on sanctions.

Togarepi said Zimbabwe was a sovereign country so the United States embassy official could not lecture its leadership on how to run the country.
“We do not need a person like that in our midst.  He is abusing the diplomatic hospitality that we are giving the Embassy of the United States.  We do not interfere with the politics of America.  We do not intend to interfere with any other country.  We also respect their sovereignty and we expect them to do the same,” Togarepi told Parliament. 

“We cannot expect an ambassador or a person who represents a country to come to us and lecture or talk to us as if we are some small portion of their country.  So, it is my request that this be addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to talk to this gentleman.  I do not know whether he is really a diplomat or he is somebody who came here to distort our relationship with the Americans. I really want the Minister of Foreign Affairs to call this gentleman to order.”

Full contribution:

HON. TOGAREPI: A point of national interest Madam Speaker. I would like to stand at this juncture to raise a point of national interest.  Many people in Zimbabwe today or from all walks of life, are raising serious concerns concerning one low ranked American individual.  I do know he is a chargé d’affaires person who had a press statement disparaging our institutions, insulting the leadership of this country in the name of lifting the illegal sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe.  He took an opportunity in a hotel to stand and insult our institutions. 

I would like to say, we are concerned.  The United Nations regard all countries as equal despite their size in terms of land, despite their size in terms of population and despite their size in terms of military power.  We are a sovereign country.  We do not need anybody from anywhere on this planet or beyond, to come and lecture to us how we should run the affairs of this country.  So, we are very concerned and it is my considered view that this small person be asked to explain himself or if it is possible, he goes back to America- [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –  We do not need a person like that in our midst.  He is abusing the diplomatic hospitality that we are giving the Embassy of the United States.  We do not interfere with the politics of America.  We do not intend to interfere with any other country.  We also respect their sovereignty and we expect them to do the same. 

We cannot expect an ambassador or a person who represents a country to come to us and lecture or talk to us as if we are some small portion of their country.  So, it is my request that this be addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to talk to this gentleman.  I do not know whether he is really a diplomat or he is somebody who came here to distort our relationship with the Americans. I really want the Minister of Foreign Affairs to call this gentleman to order.  I thank you.  

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