Zimpapers Logo

Cde Mutasa

Senior Report
Some local youths have launched the Zimbabwe Global Initiative which is aimed at narrating the country’s true story which has for long been distorted by the country’s detractors.
The initiative is set to call for the removal of illegal sanctions which are causing suffering among the people.
Zimbabwe Global Initiative spokespersons Ms Rudo Zvobgo and Ms Rachel Jambaya said the initiative was started by a team of progressive Zimbabweans. “This is a great initiative by Zimbabweans who feel the Zimbabwean story has for far too long been told by foreigners who either lack a full appreciation of our circumstances or are on a mission to deliberately distort our story,” said Ms Zvobgo.

“That must stop and ZGI will see to it that it’s not business as usual. Zimbabwe is a wonderful country with a great president and it is our mission to get the real Zimbabwe known by people of all nations,” she added.

Ms Jambaya said they were proud of President Mugabe and they said he had been vilified unfairly and for purposes of isolating Zimbabwe. She said this had been tainting his legacy. “This must also be seen as a challenge to every Zimbabwean wherever they might be to take it upon themselves to tell the Zimbabwean story as we know it.

“Our hope is obviously that in the near future we will have changed perceptions about Zimbabwe and we can be able to move forward with our heads held high, confident about the future and know who we really are as a people and as a nation,” she said.

Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa is the patron of the Zimbabwe Global Initiative.
A fundraising dinner dance will be held at a local hotel in the city on March 14. Corporate organisations, stakeholders and other individuals are expected to support this initiative.

Last week, Government said the suspension of some sanctions by the European Union was meaningless as the economic embargo that cost the country over US$42 billion in revenue over the past decade largely remains in place.

The business community also said by keeping President Mugabe and the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe on the embargo list, the EU continued “stigmatising” the country and scaring away investors.

Captains of industry said the fact that the EU wanted to directly work with Government from 2015 rather than through NGOs was an indication that the two parties needed each other.

The 28-member EU last Monday suspended illegal sanctions on eight service chiefs, politicians and war veterans, except for the First Family.