Three employees of the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) were today picked by immigration officers at Chirundu border post on their way back from the SADC People’s summit in Tanzania
This follows media reports that a group of civil society organisations including ZIMCODD and Southern Africa People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) were on a mission to smear the country at the SADC Summit by lobbying for Harare to be placed on the regional bloc’s agenda.
The three Tinashe Madondo, Lydia Dhliwayo and Lloyd Sesemani had their passports seized and taken by immigration officers, according to Crisis in Zimbabwe Regional Coordinator Blessing Vava.
“Three ZIMCODD comrades picked at Chirundu by immigration just now.
“They were coming from the People’s Summit in Tanzania. Passports seized and taken in by immigration. Others yet to do ZIMRA procedures,” said Vava.
SAPSN has since issued a statement describing the state media claims as fictitious and malicious.
In a press statement Saturday morning, SAPSN’s Regional Coordinating Committee described as fictitious and malicious reports that there were plans to shame Mnangagwa at the regional bloc meeting.
“The claims are not only deliberate but malicious and meant to tarnish the brilliant solidarity work that has been championed by the Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) since its inception in 1999,” noted SAPSN.
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa, who was also part of the delegation that attended the SADC summit in Tanzania has voiced his disapproval over what he termed ‘lies’ peddled by the state media on the participation of civil society members at the Dar es Salaam event.
“I am here in Dar es Salaam with these Zimbabwean patriots (pictured) at the SAPSN Summit. Nqobizitha Mlambo, Joy Mabenge, Tinashe Madondo and Lloyd Sesemani Cleto Manjova.
“Herald is peddling lies that these people are trained for banditry and violence. This is false,” Mliswa wrote on his micro blog Twitter Thursday.
