By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
Patson Dzamara, younger brother to abducted journalist turned political activist, Itai, has announced that he will on Friday morning deliver a petition to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF ZIMBABWE) over a recent “hypocritical” statement it issued last Saturday.
In the statement, UNICEF condemned a recent birthday celebration held for Itai by his relatives and friends, among them his children, in the Africa Unity Square in Harare.
The children offered a watchful police stick flowers as a gesture of peace but the law enforcement details declined them.
UNICEF described the anniversary as a gathering aimed at gaining political mileage, torching angry reactions from human rights defenders and activists.
“I will be handing a petition at UNICEF offices over their recent hypocritical and insensitive statement denouncing the involvement of Itai Dzamara’s children together with our relatives in commemorating his birthday and his abduction,” said Patson in a statement.
He said the petition would be handed over at 10am at UNICEF’s Belgravia offices.
“Anyone who shares our sentiment and burden is asked to please join us in support and add their signature to the petition,” said Patson.
A group of protesters, #Tajamuka, on Thursday besieged the UNICEF offices in protest against the same statement, in perhaps the first demonstration against a United Nations (UN) agency by government critics since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980. Nehanda Radio
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