Mugabe summons US ambassador for speaking truth

By Tererai Karimakwenda
07 November 2005

The state controlled newspaper The Sunday Times reported that Robert Mugabe is to summon the US ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell sometime this week, to explain what the paper called "adverse reports on the political situation in Zimbabwe". The story quoted an unnamed source in the foreign affairs ministry who said Mugabe was not happy with Dell’s so-called "undiplomatic behaviour.”

What really happened is that ambassador Dell dared to speak the truth about the deteriorating situation in the country at an event at Africa University in Mutare on Friday. In his comments, Dell blamed the government for the disastrous decline in agricultural production that has left many Zimbabweans hungry and criticised the government’s economic policies. The state-run media have given the ambassador’s comments much publicity, but they have not dealt with the substance of his criticism.

The state paper also accused the US ambassador of "allegedly working with the British embassy in Harare to compile adverse reports on the political situation in Zimbabwe." It said; "The reports seek to highlight that there are gross human rights abuses and a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe." Speaking the truth in a country that has banned independent media in order to hide the truth is the reason why ambassador Dell has been under fire from the government press. No other foreign officials have dared to do what Dell did at Africa University.
(Full text of Ambassador Dell’s speech is on our website at www.swradioafrica.com)