Some Africans in the Diaspora want the government of Zimbabwe to leave former President Robert Mugabe alone. If they have a choice in the matter, they will not want him to appear before the country’s parliament to answer any questions.
In separate statements in New York, USA; and Toronto, Canada, the groups known as Africans in Diaspora and Blacks United for the Motherland, frowned at the idea of the Zimbabwe parliament inviting Mugabe to appear before it.
The spokesmen for the groups – Chester Hanks and Obli Chilu – pointed out that they were in no way holding brief for the ousted leader. They said they were not trying to condone whatever ills Mr. Mugabe had done in his 37-year reign but merely of the view that the elderly former frontline freedom fighter should be treated with decorum.
The government committee that investigated the issue of diamond revenue under Mugabe’s rule had ordered the 94-year-old former leader to face legislators over his previous pronouncements that the state had been deprived of at least 15 billion dollars in diamond revenue by mining companies.
It will be recalled that during his years in power, Mugabe had said that Zimbabwe lost 15 billion dollars from the Marange gem fields, and later expelled the companies and replaced them with a state-owned diamond company.
But now, the two groups say that it is enough to drive Mugabe out of power. They consider any further harassment of the ex-leader as rubbing salt into injury.
