The London based protest organisation, Zim Vigil, misled the world about the recent visit by Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa at whose conference they claimed MDC-T members were barred from asking the minister questions, a top MDC official has revealed.
Thousands of Zimbabweans were fed with false information which claimed that party members were instructed to keep quiet and told not ask Chamisa questions, during Chamisa’s recent visit to the United Kingdom, the party’s chair for London district, Karma Matambanadzo told ZimEye in a conversation.
“Zimbabweans in the UK who heard about the low-key visit by ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa were puzzled to be told by the organisers ‘ask no questions,’” a statement by the Vigil read on the 4th March.
But even journalists who actually attended the meeting in Birmingham have said that MDC members at Birmingham enjoyed unprecedented freedom with minister Chamisa with the meeting stretching beyond its time as members young and old were given a chance to engage the Technology minister. At one time, minister Chamisa actually came to the aid of a middle aged man who had been drowned by the crowds while he was inquiring on why unemployed members were required to pay exorbitant amounts of subscription fees.
SW Radio Africa’s Lance Guma who among other journos was present at the meeting expressed his deep concerns at the Vigil report. The journo told ZimEye: “The ZimVigil statement on Chamisa’s visit was a bit misleading. I covered the rally and at no point were people barred from asking him questions.”
This is not the first time the Zim Vigil has clashed with the MDC-T party. Two years ago, the protest organisation clashed with Morgan Tsvangirai’s ambassador designate to Germany, Hebson Makuvise and have in recent years often been against the party’s activities.
In the Vigil’s management team is former MDC chairman Ephraim Tapa who has continued to attack party leader Morgan Tsvangirai on various issues. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)