Staff Reporter

The United States of America is making frantic efforts to cause dissension and discord in the country ahead of the Harmonised General Elections slated for next year by meddling in the political affairs of the country.

A source who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said that the USA through its embassy in Harare had devised a strategy to whip up emotions and incite the Ndebele speaking people to shun the ruling ZANU PF party in next year’s plebiscite.

“The US Embassy in Harare has availed a sum of US$15 000 to the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) so that they can create a documentary that would reveal how ZAPU’s liberation war history was allegedly distorted. The documentary that would be spearheaded by Voice of America’s (VOA) Godwin Mangudya and Mlondlosi Ndlovu, among others, would also raise issues such as that of Gukurahundi and the perceived marginalisation of the Matebeleland region. This sinister plot is meant to make the people of Matebeleland region hate ZANU PF and eventually dump it at the next polls,” said the source.

According to the source, Mangudya and Ndlovu were directed to carefully include in their documentary people who would emotionally portray ZANU PF as a party that has caused the perceived underdevelopment of the Matebeleland region. Funds to pay these people were already disbursed by the US Embassy through MAZ.

The same source added that it was unfortunate that the US wanted to rekindle the issue of Gukurahundi despite Government’s efforts to address same and find a lasting solution.

According to the source, the British Embassy through the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation was also sponsoring the authoring of a book that would portray the Unity Accord of 1987 as a fallacy .The same book would try to blame the ZANU PF led Government for marginalising Matebeleland region as far as development is concerned. The book will try to proffer exaggerated reasons why the people of Zimbabwe should withdraw their loyalty from ZANU PF in favour of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

The source added that Britain, together with USA, was also sponsoring the creation of another documentary meant to denigrate the Chinese investments in Zimbabwe. In that documentary, China would be portrayed as a country that was slowly recolonizing Zimbabwe.

The documentary will include voices of people from Mutoko, Chilonga, Hwange and Uzumba, among other places where the Chinese have invested. These people would be coached to accuse the Chinese of displacing and abusing people, among other accusations. The source added that all this was motivated by the West’s desire to derail the achievements of Vision 2030 and reduce ZANU PF’s chances of winning the next elections.

The source added that the US was already liaising with some online television channels as well as some television channels outside the country to heavily publicise the documentaries.

Meanwhile, political commentator, Terrence Chipwanya said that it was the modus operandi of the Americans to cause chaos within the country whenever elections are due. He added that Zimbabweans should ignore the West’s machinations of dividing them and remain united.