Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT has condemned a malicious and false address made at a Geneva forum in Switzerland regarding the state of human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
In a pointed statement last night, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda expressed grave concern over the remarks, labelling them a misrepresentation of the country’s present landscape and a desperate attempt to undermine recent diplomatic and economic progress.
“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.
“It is regrettable that a platform dedicated to dialogue was used to peddle a distorted narrative that flies in the face of reality.”
The platform at the forum, Dr Soda said, was misused to promote a distorted narrative that contradicts the reality of Zimbabwe’s governance.
He reaffirmed that the Government operates under the authority of its Constitution and has established legal frameworks to safeguard its sovereignty against foreign interference.
Minister Soda referred specifically to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Act, highlighting its “patriotic clauses” aimed at protecting national interests.
“The Zimbabwean Government operates under the supreme authority of its Constitution and the laws duly enacted by its Parliament.
“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.
“We draw the attention of the public — and those who may share the sentiments expressed in Geneva — to the existence of clear legislative provisions. Specifically, the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Act contains what are commonly referred to as the ‘patriotic clauses’. Section 22A of the Act is explicit in its defence of national sovereignty,” he said.
The law criminalises actions that could harm Zimbabwe’s sovereignty, particularly those involving citizens who collaborate with foreign entities to plan interventions in the country’s governance.
It also criminalises the act of wilfully injuring the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe, particularly for citizens who “actively partake” in meetings with the object of considering or planning intervention by a foreign government.
Said Minister Soda: “Furthermore, it unequivocally prohibits engaging with foreign entities to subvert, upset, overthrow, or overturn the constitutional Government of Zimbabwe.
“These clauses are not merely symbolic; they are the legal bulwark against the very type of foreign-aligned activism we witnessed in Geneva,” he said.
Minister Soda denounced calls for the restoration of sanctions against Zimbabwe, which he said have inflicted untold suffering on Zimbabweans over the years.
He pointed to tangible achievements under the Second Republic’s policy of engagement and re-engagement, including the removal of the Zimbabwe Defence Industries from the European Union’s (EU) sanctions list.
The EU also this week removed all remaining sanctions related to travel bans and asset freezes on individuals and entities.
Minister Soda said the nation strongly deplores the implied call for the restoration of sanctions against Zimbabwe.
“Let us be clear: for years, our people have suffered the debilitating effects of illegal measures imposed by Western nations.
“Contrary to the narrative of regression, the facts on the ground tell a story of progress. The Second Republic’s policy of engagement and re-engagement has yielded tangible results,” he said.
Minister Soda said the ongoing momentum in the United States to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA), signalled a shift from past confrontational policies.
“Calls to reverse these gains are calls to punish the very Zimbabwean people the speaker purports to represent,” he said.
The minister also criticised claims that Zimbabwe is not democratising, asserting that the country’s judicial processes are robust and that legal reforms are being made through appropriate channels.
“To the individual in question, we offer this reminder: 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.
“The days of impunity for those who scurry to foreign lands to malign their own nation are firmly in the past.
“The legal framework, including the provisions cited above, stands ready to defend Zimbabwe against those who would sacrifice its sovereignty for fleeting foreign validation,” he said.
Dr Soda said Zimbabwe remained open for business, open for dialogue, but “resolutely closed” to the reimposition of illegal sanctions and the forces of regression.
“We will not allow the successes of our re-engagement to be undone by narratives of doom,” he said.
