by Nobleman Runyanga
Zimbabweans in the diaspora stand ready to participate in the new dispensation to rebuild the country after nearly two decades of economic stagnation and regression under the previous administration.
This came out of a planning meeting held yesterday in New York by Zimbabweans based in North America to discuss how they can participate in the country’s rebuilding process during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ongoing visit to the United States where he is set to address the United Nation General Assembly summit on Wednesday, this week.
“Many people have this negative view of Zimbabweans in the diaspora as asylum seekers or people without professions or skills who are just seeking asylum to flee the economic challenges at home. On the contrary, especially here in the (United) States, we have doctors, bankers, brokers and businesspeople among other professions,” said patriot and Pan-Africanist writer, Dambudzo Mapuranga, on the sidelines of the meeting.
“We love our country and we are ready to mobilise resources and offer our skills in re-building our country. Zimbabwe has a lot of potential and we want to be part of the tapping of that potential to restore the country’s glory which was lost over the past two decades,” said Mapuranga.
“We appeal to fellow Zimbabwean diasporans here in the US and elsewhere from the MDC camp that there is no honour in agitating for sanctions against the whole country just for the asylum comforts of a few people. There is no political capital in travelling from Zimbabwe to appeal to (American President, Donald) Trump for the extension of sanctions just to spite and score points against ZANU PF,” said another American-based professional, Dr Frank Guni.
The US-based Zimbabweans’ commitment to rebuilding the country comes after Trump’s extension of sanctions against Zimbabwe in July following a trip to the United States in December last year by the MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, who led a delegation which, among other issues, requested for the extension of the sanctions.
It also comes against a background of Chamisa’s insistence that he won the 30 July presidential elections although he is increasingly standing alone on this matter as many progressive Zimbabweans including members of the Dr Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T faction are accepting and recognising President Mnangagwa’s victory. The faction was represented at the meeting by Denny Moyo.
