Paul Nyathi|Zimbabwean government authorities have been blasted for claiming that they will approach foreign governments to protect their officials from Zimbabweans while on government duty in those countries.

Government claims it is engaging host countries to ensure Zimbabwean public officials receive adequate security when on international duty where they allegedly continue to be hounded by angry Zimbabweans In those countries who government claim to be individuals aligned to the opposition.

According to the government, the latest target being Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who they claim was harassed last week while attending the 141st International Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Serbia.

Government claims that Adv Mudenda was harassed by ZimEye.com while he was having breakfast at his hotel when the media demanded to know why he directed the deduction of five months’ salary for MDC MPs for boycotting President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivery early this month.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told state that Government would engage Serbia to understand the circumstances under which Adv Mudenda was allegedly abused.

“That was an abuse of other people’s rights. As Government we condemn the behaviour in the strongest terms,” he said. “We also believe that host governments must accord officials the protection and respect they deserve. This is a case of a thug abusing other people and it is something that we will engage the host countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whenever our officials are out of the country,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The state mouth piece, The Herald, claims that the interview with Mudenda where he exposed government use of the army to influence the 2018 elections was abuse on Adv Mudenda. The media claims the so called abuse is similar to an incident directed at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo by angry Zimbabweans in the UK recently.

Moyo who was confronted by a group of Zimbabweans outside the Royal Institute of International Affairs, commonly known as Chatham House, in London in July this year, demanding answers on human rights abuses in the country. One protester sprayed Moyo with water from a bottle when he was getting emotional and violent on the protesters.

Zimbabweans have since responded to the minister’s claims telling government to shut up as it is failing to give Zimbabweans back home the same security they are demanding for their officials abroad.

“You people you want protection from other governments , but you are failing to protect your own people from your ruthless police and army? This is bull***,” said a ZimEye.com reader Bruce Makoni.

Below are some of the comments by Zimbabweans on social media in response to the call by Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.