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meeting with the visiting Norwegian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs responsible for political affairs, Ms Gry Larsen in Harare yesterday.
Cde Mujuru explained that even her party, Zanu-PF, has fallen victim to politically motivated violence and cited the example of the party’s Gweru offices which were burnt down recently. She briefed the visiting Norwegian government official that the country’s political leadership is working flat out to educate the people on the need to avoid politically motivated violence in the run-up to the referendum and during elections set for this year.
Cde Mujuru also pointed out to Ms Larsen that some civic organisations and NGOs working in the country are not abiding by the laws of the country and that some of them are rushing straight to Norway and other Western countries to report on issues that they have not verified or brought to the attention of the Zimbabwean Government to misinform the world about the country and to tarnish the country’s image.
Canadian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Lisa Stadelbauer, also met Cde Mujuru and the Zimbabwe-Canada re-engagement issue took centre stage during their discussions.
Ambassador Stadelbauer said re-engagement with Zimbabwe and resumption of development assistance will only be considered after the constitution making process, the referendum and the elections.
While the Canadian government has been pouring money into NGOs and civic groups that are working with political parties for regime change in Zimbabwe, it stopped government-to-government co-operation in 2002 to follow fellow Western countries that had imposed sanctions on the country.
In 2010, funds channelled to civil society amounted to US$27 million in areas of governance, human rights and gender.
The Vice President also met the Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Yonezo Fuku-da, and she commended the Japanese government for the developmental programmes that it is implementing in the country.
The Japanese government through its development arm, Jica, has been working in various sectors including water treatment and dam construction. It also played a major role in the fight against cholera during the 2008 outbreak.
Currently, Jica, is working on sewerage construction in Chitungwiza. – ZBC News.
Online Reporter