Opinion / Columnist
Mugabe was very annoyed to be reminded that he rigged the 2013 elections
18 Jun 2015 at 09:07hrs | Views
VP Mnangagwa tells parliament that President Mugabe was not embarrassed by the Sahara TV journalist's questions but the Nigerian government and nation were embarrassed.
Of course President Mugabe was very annoyed to be reminded that he rigged the 2013 elections and that the whole world knows he rigged the elections and is sick and tired of his antics.
"Under the Geneva Convention, the security of a visiting Head of State or foreign leader is the prerogative of the host government. In this case, it is the Nigerian government that should feel embarrassed because it failed in its duty," Mnangagwa said.
"However, we have not received any apology from the Nigerians regarding the issue, but I am aware that the journalist has written to her government apologising for her behaviour and the embarrassment she caused her country.
What a piece of nonsense from VP Mnangagwa. There was no security threat to President Mugabe; the VP is reading into the Geneva Convention something that is not there. The Convention does not consider asking questions a security threat regardless how hard hitting the questions may be.
There is no doubt if and Zimbabwean journalist or individual residing in the country had asked President Mugabe such hard hitting questions then he or she would have been in hot soup.
Former Deputy Minister Fortune Chasi found himself in serious trouble for admitting that there had been "irregularities" in the July 2013 elections. Of course there were glaring irregularities like the failure to release the voters roll, even the AU election observer team noted this. But that did not stop George Charamba, President Mugabe spokesman, lampooning the Deputy Minister and the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, joined in shrinking all manner of abuses!
Of course the July 2013 elections were rigged and hence the reason President Mugabe's smile disappeared and he was brisling with fury when he was reminded he rigged the elections.
There is Igbo proverb that goes "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb." These Nigerians are smart there have a proverb for every occasion and this one fits President Mugabe to a t!
President Mugabe will have to try very hard to cut down on his foreign travels because the Geneva Conventions on the security of visiting dignitaries will not stop journalist asking him about the rigged elections. He should certainly not visit Nigeria for a while; these Igbos will have hundreds more proverbs mentioning dry bones!
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Patrick Guramatunhu <patguramatunhu@gmail.com
Source - Patrick Guramatunhu
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