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IN one of the most bizarre comments of the year 2020, Robert O’Brien, then president, Mr Donald Trump’s national security advisor, told ABC News in an interview that Zimbabwe was one of the US’s “adversaries” cashing in on violent Black Lives Matter protests.

He also named Russia, China and Iran as other adversaries that were using the unrest to stoke tensions in the United States.

As expected, Zimbabwe summoned the US ambassador in Harare to explain why the senior White House official said the country was among “foreign adversaries”. The violent protests were triggered by the brutal killing of a black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer who has since been sentenced to 22 years and six months in jail.

Obviously, Mr O’Brien was lying. Zimbabwe has no business stoking tensions in America, or anywhere else for that matter.

Sadly, the inverse is true. The US has a well-documented history of sponsoring violence in Zimbabwe.

Recently, the US has sponsored the same in Hong Kong against the Chinese government.

The US also has a tendency of releasing statements blasting the governments of Zimbabwe, China and Russia when protests occur in these countries.

This is why the silence on recent protests in South Africa where at least 72 people have died and in the Kingdom of ESwatini, is deafening.

Has the US become blind all of a sudden? Blind and mute?

The protests in South Africa were triggered by the incarceration of the country’s former President Jacob Zuma, while ESwatini is facing anti-monarchy protests.

If such was happening in Zimbabwe, the US would be making noise. And assisting protesters with cash.

This is exactly what adversaries do. They find joy in the suffering of those they see as enemies.

They also have a tendency of seeing shadows in the face of their own challenges, always blaming their perceived enemies for all the bad that happens in their countries. Like Zimbabwe sponsoring violence in America. This was either a bad joke or a sign of desperation by the Trump administration which was befittingly booted out of office in November last year.

As Government spokesperson Ndavaningi Nick Mangwana said in a tweet yesterday, no one misses the noise made by the US when there are protests in other countries, but what is the obsession with Zimbabwe?

“Don’t get me wrong. We are not looking for their voice. Let be silent. But when it’s silent on ESwatini, and it’s silent on South Africa, why are the decibels tuned up to full watts when there is sneezing in Zimbabwe? Is it because we are thought leaders, about the land or both?”

Mr Mangwana asked.

The Zimbabwean position is clear: we want peace to prevail in South Africa and ESwatini. The people of those countries must find each other.

President Mnangagwa has expressed his wish for the unrest in South Africa to be resolved as soon as possible to ensure continued stability in the region.

Speaking at the 353 Zanu-PF Ordinary session of the Politburo in Harare on Wednesday, the President said there was a need to ensure peace and stability in South Africa.

“In the case of South Africa, we wish the current challenges facing our brothers and sisters in that country be soon resolved,” he said.