The Zimbabwean government has continued to blame the January 2019 violence on unarmed protestors, which resulted in the death of a police officer and more than a dozen civilians as well as serious injuries to hundreds more.
Responding to an article by Jason Burke of the major British publication, the Guardian, Information Ministry permanent secretary, Nadabaningi Nick Mangwana also blamed MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for spurning President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s calls for dialogue. He said:
You seem to have a slanted version of the disturbances in January which included the murder of a policeman, injury other officers, mass looting of shops, setting fire to buildings, attacks and burning of police stations and other forms of violence and riots for days.
President Mnangagwa welcomes criticism as well as peaceful and legal demonstrations. But no society tolerates violence.
He continues to call for unity and dialogue and has reached out to Nelson Chamisa on numerous occasions only to have his gestures spurned.
Mr Chamisa continues to ignore all calls for dialogue and prefers the path of protest and violence.
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Mr Burke, I’m always available for comment and also to help you get the basic facts right in your articles. There is biased reporting, then there are just factual inaccuracies