Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs Victor Matemadanda said some women were ordered to lie that they were raped by soldiers and policemen during the crackdown on Shutdown protestors in January.
Matemadanda said this during a meeting with war veterans in Bulawayo on Wednesday. He said as a result men applying for visas to travel to other countries now have to be checked if they were not accused of rape at some point. Said Matemadanda:
Now people are being ordered to lie that they were sexually abused by soldiers and policemen. They forget that they have relatives in the diaspora who will be viewed as rapists and untrustworthy. It’s embarrassing to lie about people who protect us. Those who are applying for visas to travel to other countries now have to be checked if they were not accused for rape at some point because these countries have been made to believe that Zimbabwean men are rapists. This is all because of some people’s political egos. We all know this is not true and it’s bad. If anyone wants to lead this country, they should have respect for every citizen wherever they are.
More: Chronicle