(NEWZIMBABWE) MDC-T sucked into Twitter storm

COMMENT - Quote from the article: “No racial prejudice on my part, but failing to befriend a single Zimbabwean when you are a Zimbabwean political party is truly bizarre. I would love to hear how the MDC-T explains itself. But whatever the case, the omission is an insult to Zimbabweans.”

The MDC is an insult to Zimbabweans. - MrK

MDC-T sucked into Twitter storm
04/03/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party found itself in the middle of a bizarre Twitter storm after it emerged that it does not “follow” a SINGLE Zimbabwean on the social networking site.

The MDC-T’s official Twitter account tracks the updates of 32 individuals and media organisation – all of them American or British. The account, @mdczimbabwe, was “followed” by 890 people – mainly Zimbabweans around the world – as of Sunday night.

Journalist Ntungamili Nkomo touched off a heated discussion on Twitter after observing: “It beggars belief that the @mdczimbabwe wing of PM @MRTsvangirai is not following a single Zimbabwean on Twitter. Only white journalists.”

Another journalist, Nqaba Matshazi, said in response to Nkomo: “Something sinister. @mdczimbabwe does not follow any black person, just white foreign journalists.”

With the development of internet technologies, Zimbabwean politicians and parties have been turning to social networks like Facebook and Twitter to reach international audiences.

The MDC-T has spent considerable time and resources fending off allegations from its rivals that it is foreign-controlled and its message packaged to curry favour with Western politicians.

The party is sensitive to any suggestions of foreign manipulation, and a senior official said he would look into the Twitter account which follows among other individuals the White House press secretary Jay Carney; the United States Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice; the White House and the American Red Cross.

MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa said: “I certainly was not aware of the issues you raise. We have an information department which is in charge of all our information channels and I will be asking them to have a look at this.

“But I can tell you that any suggestion this account is controlled by foreigners is totally off the mark.”

Nkomo told New Zimbabwe.com: “The MDC-T should feel ashamed of itself. Choosing to exclusively follow white Western journalists and their news organisations ahead of the Zimbabwean electorate, local journalists and home-grown institutions is inexcusable.

“No racial prejudice on my part, but failing to befriend a single Zimbabwean when you are a Zimbabwean political party is truly bizarre. I would love to hear how the MDC-T explains itself. But whatever the case, the omission is an insult to Zimbabweans.”