Telling The Zimbabwe Story.

Grilled by the very best in diplomatic etiquette the Zimbabwean Diplomat strives to be courteous wherever he goes. He endeavours to observe time, dress appropriately and stick to appropriate behaviour as dictated by social etiquette. So effective is the training, so encompassing is the education and so ingrained is diplomatic etiquette that one would be surprised to see a Zimbabwean diplomat act in any other way. Perhaps the most unexpected act would be for the diplomat to attend a function uninvited. That would be shocking and definitely unacceptable!

One therefore wonders how it can be claimed that Mr Mhango, a Senior Diplomat with the Ministry and one nurtured in the aforesaid way attended the US National Day Celebrations without an invitation. Such a claim can only be ridiculous and false, a clear attempt to run away from the truth by those who claim to champion the truth. This culture of deceit is not only accepted in the circle of Zimbabwe's detractors but also encouraged.

Having earlier on claimed that no statements would be issued at that function, US Ambassador Dell went on to abuse the very country that played host to him during his term of office, the very state which he claimed was unsafe and yet he had survived unharmed during his tour of duty and the very President who had welcomed him into the country, received his credentials and allowed him to work despite repeated provocations on the Government.

Of course the irony being that Ambassador Dell claimed there was no democracy in the country yet he was allowed to abuse the Government with impunity.

There however comes a time when those who tell lies to the world need to be confronted and the world told the truth. Mr. Mhango did just that at that US National Day Reception.

In contrast to the confrontational approach taken by Dell, Mr Mhango pointed out that National Day receptions were meant to be occasions for celebration and not confrontation. He reminded Ambassador Dell that diplomats were meant to be bridge builders and not destroyers and rebuked him for spelling doom for the nation.

Of course being the diplomat that he is Mr. Mhango did not confront Ambassador Dell on America's own human rights records. As expected, he did not remind the world on how America was holding prisoners in legal limbo with no recourse to law at Guantanamo Bay. Of course Mr. Mhango was silent on the war in Iraq and the human carnage that has ensued from it.

All he did was tell the Zimbabwe story. A story of how, despite pressures from the West, Zimbabwe was striving to provide for its people and how despite hostility from its detractors Zimbabwe had resolutely returned the people's birth right, land, to its rightful heirs through the Land Reform Programme.