For almost two decades, Zimbabwe has been under economic sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU), the United States of America (USA) and Australia. The Government has been accused of unsubstantiated human rights violations by these western communities. According to the EU and the US, the sanctions were restrictive measures on former President, Robert Mugabe and some of the officials who were behind him.
Contrary to the assertion that sanctions in Zimbabwe are ring-fenced and targeted at a small number of people, the truth is that the stiff grip of the illegal economic sanctions is being felt all over the whole economy including critical sectors such as farming. Zimbabwe’s economy is anchored on agriculture, if farmers cannot export their produce, the much needed foreign currency does not come in perpetuating the suffering of the majority.
In addition, there have been reports that South African banks have withdrawn their services of supplying the country with US dollar notes, saying Zimbabwe is under US sanctions, hence cannot be offered such a service. The inconvenience wrought by such a withdrawal is going to be felt by every Zimbabwean regardless of social or economic or political standing.
In their blind reasoning, the western communities have been arguing that sanctions were designed as a penalty imposed to ensure compliance with the law. However, the resignation of former President Mugabe in 2017, and the taking over of President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a new chapter, which should have motivated the West to remove the economic sanctions imposed on the country.
It is vital to note that since President Mnangagwa assumed office, he has been implementing a number of social, political and economic reforms. Unlike the former President, President Mnangagwa has been accommodating to many retrogressive elements, some of whom are very violent and destructive. This alone, is a positive development which the West should appreciate.
The sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, like those imposed on Iraq, will continue to harm institutions which are vital for the survival, sustainance and continuity of human wellbeing of the majority.
On the other hand, the West may have designed the economic sanctions to induce suffering on Zimbabweans so that they would revolt against their Government, especially through the ballot box thereby bringing regime change. The opposition party, MDC, in their naivety have been used by the West to front their agenda. No wonder why the MDC lobbied for sanctions in a drive to manipulate Zimbabweans for the furtherance of their objective of regime change.
The illegal sanctions have failed to unseat a duly elected government for close to two decades now, as anticipated. It is high time those who imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe to remove them.
Presenting at the United Nations high level segment- 7th meeting, 40th regular session Human Rights Council in Geneva recently, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Zimbabwe economic transformation was being hampered by the illegal sanctions imposed by the West. He highlighted that the Government was appealing to the international community to call for the unconditional removal of the sanctions which have caused untold suffering on the people of Zimbabwe.
Also, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), recently called for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe arguing that it was hindering investment in the country. SADC executive secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax tweeted on her handle that, “Reiterated SADC call to the international community to lift economic sanctions to Zimbabwe, which deny Zimbabwe access to finance from Multilateral and Private Institutions, and affect the country’s development.”
Therefore, every progressive Zimbabwean and those outsiders who want to see Zimbabwe prosper should stand up in fighting these illegal economic sanctions against our beloved nation.
