Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter
Since the United States unilaterally imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2001, the embargo  immediately became an albatross around the country’s neck.

The sanctions imposed as a regime change tool strangled Zimbabwe’s economy through systematic blocking the country from accessing loans from multilateral financing institutions.

Zimbabwe’s offence was simply addressing a historical land tenure imbalance in which a few minority white commercial farmers held on to 75 percent of the land while millions of black huddled in communal lands.

However, African leaders in their broad totality and some well-meaning world leaders have condemned the sanctions and described them as an evil that has made ordinary Zimbabweans suffer.

In 2019 Sadc countries set aside October 25 as the Anti-Sanctions day in which the countries demonstrate their displeasure at the sanctions through various activities and act in solidarity with Zimbabwe.

 “To ensure that no country is left behind, we reiterate our position as the African Union that economic sanctions against Zimbabwe and Sudan should be lifted to allow their governments to respond adequately to the pandemic.”

Tanzania President John Magufuli said: “During the 39th summit, we passed the resolution to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe which were imposed since 2001. In that resolution we approved October 25 of every year to be a special day against sanctions in Zimbabwe where member states will be conducting various activities including preparing dialogues and declarations against the sanctions on Zimbabwe.”

Namibia President Dr Hage Geingob said: “In support of the pursuit of economic development, unity and prosperity for the sister country of Zimbabwe, I once again call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa has been pursuing reforms that will enable the people of Zimbabwe to get on a path of sustainable development and peace. Therefore, the continued sanctions undermine these efforts to develop the people of Zimbabwe.”

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi said: “Botswana strongly appeals for the repeal of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act and the targeted sanctions program imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States.”

On October 25 last year, Zambian President Edgar Lungu tweeted: “#Zambia in solidarity with other countries in the SADC region and beyond, calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on the Republic of Zimbabwe to allow the country to succeed on their path to social and economic development.”

SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax this week said members States will “collectively voice their disapproval of sanctions against Zimbabwe” through various platforms tomorrow.

Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta said: “I wish to make a special appeal for an end to the economic, commercial as well as financial embargo against Cuba, sanctions against Zimbabwe and Sudan. The United Nations provides us a platform; a platform to resolve age-old differences (to) unburden ourselves of these antiquated conflicts.”

GHANA President Nana Akufo-Addo said: “We will continue to call on our peers on the continent to do everything we can to see that the sanctions are lifted as soon as possible so that Zimbabwe will have the freedom to develop to its full potential.

“Hopefully, soon, rather than later, we all should hear the good news from the collective efforts of all the African people.”

RWANDA President Paul Kagame said: “Give them (Zimbabwe) time or even allow them the tools. If you are saying, we want you to change and at the same time they are under sanctions, when you are under sanctions you are being denied the tools to apply to actually change the situation,” he said.

“So you can’t be the same person who has applied the sanctions and then you say I want you to change in a very short time when part of the change requires what you actually sanctioned, there is no sense in that.”