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Mukudzei Chingwere
Herald Reporter
WESTERN-imposed economic sanctions have brought untold suffering to ordinary Zimbabweans and should be lifted immediately, Uganda’s Honorary Consul to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Chris Rugari Akansasibwa, has said.

After paying a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava at his offices yesterday, Ambassador Akansasibwa said his country was determined to see sanctions lifted.

Zimbabwe and Uganda have no corresponding embassies, but through the Second Republic engagement and re-engagement process, work to set up consuls has begun.

Minister Shava and Ambassador Akansasibwa discussed collaboration on the economic front in areas such as agriculture, banking, tourism, and information technology, as a way of improving people’s lives in the two countries.

President Mnangagwa has already indicated that agriculture and sectors such as mining will form the bedrock on which Vision 2030 of achieving an upper middle-income society will be built, while in Uganda agriculture accounts for the country’s largest export earnings.

Ambassador Akansasibwa said processes had begun for President Museveni’s visit to Zimbabwe where he is expected to, among other things, interact with veterans of the liberation struggle.

“President Museveni is a Pan-Africanist and President Museveni and the Government of Uganda feel the pain of the ordinary Zimbabweans,” he said.

“As Africa, we can come together and say enough is enough for people to suffer in Zimbabwe because of sanctions.

“Moving forward in my capacity as the Honorary Consul, I will make sure that we will invite President Museveni to come to Zimbabwe, especially to interact with veterans of the liberation struggle.

“For the first time, we are going to see relationships in trade in areas such as agriculture, banking, tourism, and information communication technology.”

Zimbabwe and Uganda have begun the process of bolstering relationships, particularly in economic collaboration that will feed into the growth of the respective countries’ economies.