Tuesday, the Zimbabwean government summoned Elaine French, the US ambassador in Harare, over Washington’s suspected meddling in the nation’s approaching elections.
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The charge d’affaires was called, according to a statement from the foreign affairs ministry of the country in southern Africa, after the US Embassy in Harare posted several messages on social media this month urging Zimbabweans to “register to vote and make sure your voice is heard.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade summoned the Chargé D’Affaires after the US embassy issued several election-related social media posts via Twitter on 26 May 2023,” the ministry stated.
The US diplomat was informed by Rofina Chikava, Zimbabwe’s acting secretary for foreign affairs, that her country was troubled by the embassy’s advertisements because they “border on activism and meddle in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.”
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Additionally, the ministry called the mission’s actions “unacceptable” and a departure from “conventional diplomatic norms and values enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961),” and it urged that such behaviour be avoided in the interest of fostering better ties between Zimbabwe and Washington.
While emphasising her embassy’s position on free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, where ties with the US have been strained for decades as a result of sanctions imposed on the late Robert Mugabe’s regime for alleged human rights violations and electoral fraud, French took note of Harare’s worries.
The US Consulate’s spokeswoman, Meg Riggs, was cited by VOA News, which is supported by the US government, as saying that there was no issue with the election-related posts.
We continue to stand by the recent social media posts we made urging for harmony during the election season. According to Riggs, who was quoted by VOA News, “These unbiased, apolitical messages showcase the work of Zimbabwean artists who wished to educate their fellow youth on the value of peace during an electoral process.
