Zimbabwe President Speaks on US, Congratulates Biden

08 JAN, 2021

Herald Reporters

President Mnangagwa has condemned the storming of the US Capitol by pro-Trump protesters on Wednesday, adding that Washington was failing to uphold the democracy it demands of other nations and that it had lost the high moral ground to punish others.

Supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump violently invaded the US Capitol on Wednesday as the US Congress met to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College presidential victory.

During the violence, four people died, amid media reports that some were shot.

Mr Biden won 306 Electoral College votes, compared to Mr Trump’s 232 and the US Congress certified the victory yesterday, paving the way for his inauguration on January 20.

Yesterday, President Mnangagwa congratulated Mr Biden on his confirmation as the 46th US President, but said Washington did not have the moral high ground to lecture other nations on democracy given the ugly scenes that took place on Wednesday.

“Last year, President Trump extended painful economic sanctions placed on Zimbabwe, citing concerns about Zimbabwe’s democracy. Yesterday’s events showed that the US has no moral right to punish another nation under the guise of upholding democracy. These sanctions must end,” he said.

But President Mnangagwa indicated that Zimbabwe had always been ready to work with the US.

“I’d like to again congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his confirmation as the 46th President of the United States. Zimbabwe is, as it always has been, ready to work together as friends and partners with the US for the benefit of both our peoples,” he said.

Other world leaders expressed outrage at Wednesday’s events in the US.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “obviously concerned” about the situation in Washington.

“We’re following the situation minute-by-minute,” Trudeau told the News 1130 Vancouver radio station.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the scenes at the US Capitol were “disgraceful.”

“The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” he tweeted.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the scenes coming out of the US Capitol were “deeply disturbing.”

Norway PM Erna Solberg said President Trump’s supporters actions were “unbelievable” and a “totally unacceptable attack on democracy”.

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged President Trump to “recognise (Biden) as the next president.”

Political analysts equally slammed the US for wanting to be the policeman of the world in terms of democracy when it struggles to practise the same.

President Trump has criticised the elections as flawed, saying “if you count the legal votes, I easily win. If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us”.

No independent observer nor court has found any evidence of illegal voting.

The US is at the forefront of criticising elections in Third World countries, mainly those led by leaders it does not want, branding them unfree and unfair.

Global media giants have ganged up against President Trump, noting that no evidence has been presented.

Political analyst Mr Goodson Nguni likened President Trump to MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa, who declared before the 2018 elections that he would not recognise the election result if he did not win and then refused to accept the verdict of the Constitutional Court that he had not presented any evidence of fraud.

Mr Nguni said after realising that President Mnangagwa was winning the poll, Mr Chamisa “let loose thugs to burn buildings and beat up people”.

“Chamisa tried to storm Zanu PF Headquarters and trashed the Zanu PF Harare Province offices. Chamisa went to court to overturn his electoral loss just like Trump with no evidence. Trump is a thug and so is Chamisa. Remember Chamisa lying that he met Trump (and was promised US$15 billion if he won the 2018 elections),” he said.

Zanu PF Director for Information and Publicity, Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi, said: “The US has lost moral high ground to preach, police or prefect the world on democracy and human rights. Washington is having a taste of its own medicine, for this is what the US has been doing to other countries.

“It should be recalled President Trump attempted, through the US embassy here, to violently disrupt vote counting and tabulation in Zimbabwe on 1 August 2018. This is the same script which he wanted to try this time on Capitol. Surprisingly, the US embassy in Harare and Brian Nichols are mum and there is no joint statement from him, EU Ambassador Timo Olkkonen and British Ambassador Melanie Robinson.”

Leader of the Divine Alliance for Vitalisation of Inspired Development, Ms Melbah Dzapasi Svovera, said people should uphold democracy and leaders should accept defeat.

“If Mr trump is genuine about leading Americans into greatness, he should respect the will of voters and accept defeat and congratulate Mr Biden,” she said.

Former MDC-T spokesperson and legal expert, Mr Obert Gutu, said the storming of the US Capitol exposed America for what it really was.

“A country that preaches to the world what it dismally fails to practise domestically, America wants to style and project herself as a paragon of democracy, tolerance and human rights, yet the exact opposite is true. America is basically a very unequal, intolerant and intrinsically a racist society.

“If such an incident had happened in Zimbabwe for instance, America would be at the forefront frothing with anger and indignation that the Zimbabwe Government is an autocratic dictatorship. What rank hypocrisy is that?” he said.

Mr Gutu added that four people were reportedly shot dead by police at the US Capitol the mainstream global media have not given prominence to the killings, as they do in “unfriendly States”.

“America has got absolutely no moral high ground to lecture to anyone about democracy and human rights. Those local political puppets in Zimbabwe who always tag the United States embassy in Harare on social media whenever they are complaining about alleged human rights abuses in Zimbabwe should hold their heads in complete and utter shame.

“After all, the Emperor is naked! Their puppeteer is an embarrassing global humiliation when it comes to matters of democracy, tolerance and human rights,” he said.