Zimbabwe summons U.S. envoy over election-related social media posts

HARARE, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned a U.S. Embassy official to protest its social media posts regarding Zimbabwe's upcoming general elections.

Rofina Chikava, acting permanent secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry met with Elaine French, the Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, said Livit Mugejo, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry.

The most notable post was captioned: "Register to vote and and make sure your choice is heard," among other tweets which had been made a few days before, said Mugejo.

"Despite Zimbabwe's strong commitment towards holding a peaceful, free and fair election, Ambassador Chikava, however, expressed concern over the Mission's election-related social media posts, bordering on activism and meddling in Zimbabwe's internal affairs," Mugejo added.

The conduct by the U.S. Embassy, as Chikava said, was unacceptable as it deviated from conventional diplomatic norms and values enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), the spokesman said, adding that "The Ministry also called on the U.S. Embassy to refrain from posting such messages in the spirit of re-engagement between our two countries."

Zimbabwe is to hold general elections in July or August.