By Derick Tsimba
An American advocacy group, International Republican Institute (IRI) continues to plot the ouster of the Zimbabwean Government, The Harare Post can report.
According to sources, IRI has plans to host a second International Conference for Zimbabwean political activists in exile, in South Africa on 24 September 2019, after the first was held in April this year in the same country, The Harare Post has learnt.
The American Advocacy group intends to mobilize Zimbabweans in the diaspora to form an association that will speak against the Zimbabwean Government.
IRI is compelled by its handlers to ensure that Zimbabwe is given international attention by propping up negative sentiments that tarnish Government’s international image.
On its agenda premised on the belief that Zimbabweans in the diaspora are anti-Zanu PF, IRI intends to demand the allowance of the diasporans to vote in the general elections.
Recently IRI in collaboration with the MDC, plotted to stage demonstrations against President Emmerson Mnangagwa, at the 39th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Tanzania.
The Harare Post had it on good authority that IRI, Zimbabwe chapter, had put in place a scheme to embarrass President Mnangagwa, the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and the Tanzanian President, John Magufuli.
The two are viewed as strongmen in the SADC region.
A source privy to the plot said IRI was approached by the MDC to fund its botched 16 August demonstrations. However, IRI suggested that it could only sponsor demonstrations that can be staged at SADC Summit.
“The MDC was then tasked to identify activists who can travel to Dar salaam to stage the demonstrations. IRI pledged to fund the trip. It is the same organisation that suggested 16 August as the date for the MDC demonstrations,” said the source.
The idea was to make the local demonstrations coincide with the SADC Summit which had commenced on 5 August. As demonstrations sparked here, the hired activists would be also picketing the Summit venue, giving an impression that the country was on fire.
The international organisation, the source said, had also instituted similar plan in Tanzania where activists had been hired to target and vilify President Magufuli, the new SADC Chairman.
A delegation of three officers from IRI Zimbabwe was sent to Tanzania to discuss on the modus operand of the demonstrations with their Tanzania counterparts. The demonstrations were to begin a day before the target gave their speeches. The tempo would then escalate on the day of their speeches.
