by Innocent Mujeri

Netizens have blasted Sapes Trust chairperson, Ibbo Mandaza for hosting online discussions meant to peddle the false narration that there was a crisis in Zimbabwe.

Mandaza who last week hosted an online discussion titled” South Africa’s mediation in Zimbabwe’s crisis: What should be done” is planning of hosting another online discussion on 15 October this month titled, “The scourge of state sponsored abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture and violence in Zimbabwe: How to stop it now”.

One netizen, Tinashe Chimutsa blasted Mandaza saying he is using the online discussions to push the opposition’s narrative of a false crisis in Zimbabwe.

“We can not continue to ignore what Ibbo Mandaza is trying to do. Mandaza is using the online discussions to portray Zimbabwe as a country in crisis. His recent discussion topic about abductions and torture is implying that indeed there are abductions and torture that happens in Zimbabwe, which is wrong. Mandaza should be  warned not to continue tarnishing the image of the country by peddling the false narration of a crisis in Zimbabwe,” wrote Chimutsa on Facebook.

Another netizen, Miriam Tauzeni tweeted that Mandaza’s Sapes Trust organisation is a well known vehicle for the opposition’s propaganda.

“Sapes Trust is an appendage of the MDC. It is not about nurturing social science research, policy dialogue or networking as Mandaza want us to believe, but it is a channel where the anti-Zimbabwe and anti-Government messages are broadcasted to the world under the guise of policy dialogue. The inclusion of Joanna Mamombe as one of the panellists on the next discussion clearly shows that Mandaza has concluded that there is state sponsored abductions and torture in Zimbabwe,” wrote Tauzeni.

Zaire Baraka also said, “it boggles the mind that Joanna Mamombe who is under psychological evaluation could be roped in as one of the panellists”.

Michael Mutekedza echoed Baraka’s sentiments and said he was , “more worried about Joanna Mamombe’s involvement as a panellist. I thought she was not well to be engaging at the moment. However this thing by Mandaza has always been questionable anyway”.

Mandaza has been recently hosting online discussions and writing articles that critics say were meant to discredit the efforts of the Second Republic in turning around the fortunes of this country.

Some voices were recently urging Mandaza to remove the academic cap and enter into politics full time than attacking Government, while hiding behind the academic robes.