Zimbabwe condemns 'false, malicious' Geneva claims

Government has condemned what it described as a malicious and false address delivered at a Geneva forum in Switzerland concerning the state of human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.

In a strongly worded statement last night, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda said the remarks misrepresented Zimbabwe's current situation and were aimed at undermining recent diplomatic and economic gains achieved under the Second Republic.

"The Republic of Zimbabwe has taken note of a statement delivered in Geneva by an individual purporting to speak on the state of human rights and the rule of law in our country," he said.

"We note this submission with the grave concern it deserves, not because it offers any constructive critique, but because it represents a desperate attempt to reverse the undeniable diplomatic and economic gains made under the Second Republic's engagement and re-engagement agenda."

Dr Soda said the forum platform had been misused to promote what he called a distorted narrative that contradicted the realities of governance in Zimbabwe.

He stressed that Government operates strictly under the authority of the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament, and has put in place legal frameworks to safeguard national sovereignty against foreign interference.

The minister cited the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Act, particularly Section 22A — commonly referred to as the "patriotic clauses" — as a key safeguard.

"To this end, we have put in place legal frameworks designed to protect our hard-won sovereignty from those who seek to undermine it through foreign platforms," he said.

He noted that the law criminalises actions deemed to wilfully injure Zimbabwe's sovereignty and national interest, including participation in meetings with foreign entities aimed at planning intervention in the country's governance.

"Furthermore, it unequivocally prohibits engaging with foreign entities to subvert, upset, overthrow, or overturn the constitutional Government of Zimbabwe," Dr Soda said.

"These clauses are not merely symbolic; they are the legal bulwark against the very type of foreign-aligned activism we witnessed in Geneva."

The minister also denounced what he described as implied calls for the restoration of sanctions against Zimbabwe, saying such measures had caused prolonged hardship for ordinary citizens.

He pointed to recent developments under the Second Republic's engagement policy, including the decision by the European Union to remove remaining sanctions related to travel bans and asset freezes on individuals and entities, with the exception of Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

"Contrary to the narrative of regression, the facts on the ground tell a story of progress," Dr Soda said.

He also referenced growing momentum in the United States to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA), describing it as a shift away from what he termed confrontational policies of the past.

"Calls to reverse these gains are calls to punish the very Zimbabwean people the speaker purports to represent," he said.

Dr Soda dismissed claims that Zimbabwe is not democratising, asserting that the country's judicial processes remain robust and that reforms are pursued through constitutional channels.

He warned against what he termed the misuse of journalism to advocate for sanctions or foreign intervention.

"Journalism carries with it a responsibility to truth. Weaponising one's platform to advocate for the very measures that stifle our economy and harm our populace is not an act of courage; it is an act of hostility against your own homeland," he said.

"The days of impunity for those who scurry to foreign lands to malign their own nation are firmly in the past. The legal framework stands ready to defend Zimbabwe against those who would sacrifice its sovereignty for fleeting foreign validation."

Dr Soda concluded by reiterating that Zimbabwe remains open to business and dialogue, but firmly opposed to what he described as illegal sanctions and efforts to reverse the country's diplomatic progress.

"We will not allow the successes of our re-engagement to be undone by narratives of doom," he said.