by Rungano Dzikira
Janus-faced MDC Deputy Treasurer General and Kuwadzana East legislator, Charlton Hwende has slammed the business community who are calling on the removal of sanctions, claiming that Government should first succumb to ZIDERA’s dictates, resulting to criticism from public.
In a provocative tweet, the legislator said, “In 2019 let’s agree on the roadmap towards fulfilling conditions set by ZIDERA in order for the country to return to the international community. Business people calling for removal of sanctions and saying nothing about the reforms needed first are selfish and dishonest.”
His sentiments followed calls by prominent business people in the country such as Strive Masiyiwa and Trevor Ncube on the removal of sanctions as they were hurting businesses, ordinary Zimbabweans and the country’s economy at large.
Hwende’s ignorance drew a volley of criticism from the public who took turns to school him on the implications of adopting the US’s propositions.
Ishmael Chiwayu bemoaned, “You seriously think ZIDERA is a transactional piece of legislation? You don’t realize it means changing our constitution to suit the SADC tribunal ruling on white farmers’ compensation for loss of land? Essentially we are paying them for taking away land from our ancestors.
Adding on, Isaac Gundani said, “Sanctions have nothing to do with ZIDERA, they are set on Zimbabwe as an example of what the superpower will do to countries that repossess their natural resources, Iraq was invaded in 2003 for its resource, the oil and guess what? The US lied that it was about the WMD.”
Acknowledging that sanctions were affecting ordinary Zimbabweans and somewhat pleading for combined efforts to put an end to ZIDERA, Andre said, “Imi ma politicians do your part which is calling for those reforms and let the business people do their bit which is calling for removal of sanctions because they are affecting their businesses.”
MDC’s hypocrisy continues as they are the ones who initially called for these sanctions, yet they now wants to blame Government for failing to put an end to them. So far over $200m has been paid out to white farmers and 2019 budget proposed to avail US $53 million towards compensation of white farmers, Harare Post has learnt.
