By Gift Mashoko
Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday called for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
Presenting at the United Nations high level segment- 7th meeting, 40th regular session Human Rights Council in Geneva, Minister Ziyambi said Zimbabwe was working on improving the economy but sanctions were in the way of development and called for the international community to call for the removal of these sanctions.
“Government has adopted the TSP which is targeted to be fully implemented by 2020. The overarching thrust of the TSP is to stabilise the macro economy and the financial sector through policy and institutional reforms. Geared toward laying a foundation for a strong, sustained and shared economic growth.
“As enunciated in the vision 2030, which is aimed at attaining upper middle income status by 2030, the Zimbabwe economy remains stable with growth projections for 2019 pegged at 3.1%.
“However, the Zimbabwe economic transformation continues to be hampered by the illegal sanctions imposed by the West. We, therefore, appeal to the international community to call for the unconditional removal of the sanctions which have caused untold suffering on our people,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi said external forces were behind the protests being done by the opposition as they also control Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civic Society Organisations CSOs).
Government of Zimbabwe respects the right to demonstrate peacefully as guaranteed by the Constitution. On 14 January 2019, Zimbabwe was rocked again by violent protests. Minister Ziyambi said these were planned protests sponsored by external forces and NGOs meant to make the country ungovernable and to effect regime change.
Speaking at the same occasion, Namibia also called on the removal of the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, saying the existence of the sanctions deprive Zimbabwean citizens of their rights to enjoy their fundamental human rights.
These sanctions have caused untold suffering on the ordinary Zimbabweans and have led to the South African banks withdrawing financial support from Zimbabwe
