Former opposition Member of Parliament for Masvingo Urban, Tongai Matutu, has published a long list of prominent opposition politicians he claims were at the forefront of inviting “hurtful” sanctions on Zimbabwe.
The list is published a week after Matutu had claimed that the then-vibrant Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) crafted sanctions fully conscious they would hurt ordinary Zimbabweans.
Posting on his Twitter handle at the weekend, Matutu the people who participated in inviting sanctions deserve jail time adding that he was part of those people. He added that since there is no law under which they can be punished, ordinary Zimbabweans shall continue to suffer.
Matutu’s list:
1). Nelson Chamisa (leader of the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC)
2). Tendai Biti (Former Finance Minister),
3). Lovemore Moyo (former Speaker of Parliament),
4). Morgan Komichi (MDC-T Chairman,
5). Tapiwa Mashakada,
6). David Coltart and
7). Eddie Cross.
8). Obert Gutu (former deputy Minister of Justice),
9). MP Job Sikhala (CCC member and MP for Zengest West),
10). Peter Mutasa (former ZCTU President),
11). Tabitha Khumalo (top CCC official),
12). Douglas Mwonzora (president of MDC).
13). Blessing Chebundo (Former Kwekwe Central opposition MP)
Organisations alleged to have called for the embargoes include:
1). The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU),
2). Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC),
3). Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), and
4). National Endowment for Democracy.
5). Vanguard Africa,
6). ZimRights,
7). Human Rights Watch,
8). Amnesty International,
9). Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and
10). Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ).
His remarks come as the ruling ZANU PF is pushing for the enactment of the Patriotic Act which seeks to make it a criminal offence for citizens to say bad things about the country to foreigners.
It is also pushing for the enactment of the PVO Bill which amends the PVO Act. The government says it will curb money laundering and PVOs participation in politics. It proposes harsh penalties, including jail time of up to one year for perceived offences.
CCC responded to Matutu’s claims saying the list was his strategy to endear himself with President Emmerson Mnangagwa in order to join the ruling ZANU PF.
Matutu claimed CCC leaders were at the centre of America’s Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) and argued the party was just a re-branded MDC, according to NewZimbabwe.
He claimed the MDC would fake abductions to get international sympathy while justifying the imposition of sanctions since the early 2000s.