(News of the South) HARARE – South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mphakama Mbete has urged Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane to stay out of Zimbabwe’s politics, amid indications the Zimbabwe government could turn away Mr. Maimane at the airport should he proceed with this week’s planned visit to Zimbabwe. This comes as Mr Mmusi Maimane announced Wednesday that he plans to visit Zimbabwe this week to meet with opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
There are fears that Maimane “could be deported at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe international airport by the Zimbabwe government the same way he was deported at the Kenneth Kaunda international airport in May 2017” after he meddled in Zambian politics.
“I will pay a working visit to Zimbabwe this week. I will meet with current opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, and former Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Tendai Biti, among others,” Mr Maimane said on Monday, without giving a date.
This was after Maimane had indicated he was reporting Zimbabwe to the International Criminal Court at the Hague and other international bodies for human right violations following the violent protests of mid-January.
Said Mutodi: “We note some reckless statements by DA’s Mmusi Maimane who is funded by ex-Rhodhesians unhappy with our land reform suggesting that Zimbabwe needs an ICC probe to which it is not a signatory.
“Nowhere in the world including SA and the US has anarchy been condoned under the guise of protest.” In May 2017, Maimane was turned away at Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda airport and had his cellphones and other valuables confiscated before being bundled on the next flight to South Africa.
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