Remove Zim sanctions, ANC tells Biden Joe Biden

Herald Reporter

THE election of Mr Joe Biden as President of the United States and his running mate Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent should result in the removal of economic sanctions on countries like Zimbabwe, the South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) has said.

In a congratulatory message to the US Vice President-elect Harris, the first Indian American and first female to clinch the powerful post, the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) said time had come for America to end all forms of imperialism.

“Harris as the Vice-President of the US must be the voice of reason against white supremacy, patriarchy and male chauvinism in the US and across the globe. Serving under President Joe Biden, she must also be at the frontline to fight against imperialism and among others call for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine land by Israel, an end of sanctions against Zimbabwe, Cuba and many other countries,”, the ANCWL secretary general Meokgo Matuba said in a statement.

The call for the removal of sanctions comes at a time when the world and Africa in particular, has expressed hope in the incoming US administration, with analysts and political players saying Mr Biden should focus more on multilateralism and ending the US unilateralism.

In a statement yesterday, Zanu PF secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu said irregularities associated with the recent US election were only evident of the rarely accepted truth that African democracy suffers challenges similar to those experienced by imperialist powers regardless of their self-crowing as good governance stewards.

“The debate on the credibility of this election’s outcome only proves the inherent nature of political power contestations.

“It shows the normalcy of the culture of election outcome contestation.

“The lesson to all African countries is that the morality of our politics or the lack therefore must not be defined by other nations with the same sovereign autonomy we have over our post-colonial nations,” he said.

With SADC countries and Africa at large united in the call for the unconditional removal of the illegal economic sanctions that the US and her allies imposed on Zimbabwe as punishment for the land reform programme, Dr Mpofu said the country’s hope lies in the global solidarity and not necessarily individuals.

“Our hope for victory in the fight against the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe is underpinned on the unwavering support we are receiving from SADC states and other liberation movements in Africa and the entire globe. We are banking on the solidarities of global anti-imperialist forces to find Zimbabwe’s freedom from the plague of sanctions.

On the other hand, political analysts Mr Obert Gutu said American foreign policy is institutionalised as opposed to being individualized.

“Thus, it’s too early to start celebrating hoping that US President-elect Joseph Biden is going to lift the unilateral and punitive sanctions that were imposed against Zimbabwe almost two decades ago. You will have to go back in history in order for you to know and appreciate the fact that then Senator Biden was actually one of the prime sponsors of ZIDERA in 2001,” he said.

He, however, added that Zimbabwe should use the opportunity of the change of guard at the White House to accelerate re-engagement with the Western world.

“It’s definitely not going to be easy because the historic and revolutionary land reform programme rubbed powerful Western nations the wrong way. The land reform programme re-defined Zimbabwe’s international relations by challenging the deeply embedded post-colonial template that underpinned the trajectory that no former colony in Africa should be allowed to own and control its major natural resources.  Be that as it may, the incoming Biden administration should be engaged as efforts to normalize Zimbabwe-USA relations continue unabated,” he said.

Zimbabwe is currently pursuing an aggressive engagement and reengagement drive with all nations despite spirited attempts by the country’s detractors to derail the Second Republic’s new thrust of  building bridges with all nations.

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