News / National
'Mugabe must die cleric' slams US
15 Sep 2017 at 11:23hrs | Views
ACTIVIST cleric Pastor Patrick Mugadza has petitioned the US embassy in Harare, challenging the decision to give President Robert Mugabe and his 'bloated delegation' visas to attend this year's United Nations (UN) general assembly, NewZimbabwe.com reported.
The summit is scheduled for September 19 to 23 and Mugabe is reportedly travelling with a claimed 70-strong delegation, including his entire family.
In his petition to the US Harare embassy Wednesday, Pastor Mugadza said the granting of visas to Mugabe and his family is a slap in the face for suffering Zimbabweans.
"We have orphans and widows who have nothing to put on the table, and teens who have been pushed into prostitution because of the difficult situation they find themselves in because of the Mugabe regime," said Mugadza.
"This move you have taken will result in the death of people who cannot afford to buy medication while you have given visas to these heartless people to go and do shopping in New York."
The cleric, who has been campaigning for the 93-year-old to step down, said the US government should cancel 50 of the visas issued to Mugabe's team.
"We thought you would stand with us as a suffering nation but we have realized that you are not on the side of the suffering. Having said that, we demand that you cut the number to 20 looters or else we are going to be occupying your embassy soon," he said.
Mugabe is banned from travelling to the US under sanctions imposed by Washington to punish rights abuses by his regime. He can, however, attend meetings of the UN in New York. He is expected to leave Friday for the 2017 UN general assembly.
The summit is scheduled for September 19 to 23 and Mugabe is reportedly travelling with a claimed 70-strong delegation, including his entire family.
In his petition to the US Harare embassy Wednesday, Pastor Mugadza said the granting of visas to Mugabe and his family is a slap in the face for suffering Zimbabweans.
"We have orphans and widows who have nothing to put on the table, and teens who have been pushed into prostitution because of the difficult situation they find themselves in because of the Mugabe regime," said Mugadza.
"This move you have taken will result in the death of people who cannot afford to buy medication while you have given visas to these heartless people to go and do shopping in New York."
The cleric, who has been campaigning for the 93-year-old to step down, said the US government should cancel 50 of the visas issued to Mugabe's team.
"We thought you would stand with us as a suffering nation but we have realized that you are not on the side of the suffering. Having said that, we demand that you cut the number to 20 looters or else we are going to be occupying your embassy soon," he said.
Mugabe is banned from travelling to the US under sanctions imposed by Washington to punish rights abuses by his regime. He can, however, attend meetings of the UN in New York. He is expected to leave Friday for the 2017 UN general assembly.
Source - newzimbabwe
