Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF United Kingdom/Europe District will hand over a petition to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in solidarity with the SADC region over the removal of punitive sanctions which have adversely affected the country’s economy.
The development comes after Sadc leaders have resolved to reserve October 25, 2019 as a day when the 16-member states would conduct activities to jointly call for the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF UK/Europe District has welcomed the anti-sanctions day declared by Sadc countries, saying indeed an attack on one of them was an attack on all of them.
The district’s secretary for administration Cde Xavier Zavare in a statement said Southern Africa countries have to fight these devastating human rights abuses and anti-development sanctions which were inhibiting economic revival and prosperity, killing thousands of ordinary citizens in Zimbabwe and the Sadc region as a whole.
Cde Zavare said the district executive and general membership based in the UK will be convening for a meeting on September 28 to strategise on how best they could actively participate on the anti-sanctions day slated for October 25, 2019.
He added that Zanu-PF UK/Europe District will engage the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the UK, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande, to propose that they hold peaceful protests at the United States Embassy in the UK, Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Westminster Parliament and hand in a petition letter at 10 Downing Street, home of the British Prime Minister, demanding that these punitive sanctions be removed.
“An attack on one of us is indeed an attack on all of us Africans.
“To that regard, our district executive and general membership based in the UK will be meeting on Saturday 28th of September to plan on actively participating on the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Day, 25th of October 2019 as proclaimed by the SADC.
“As the leadership, we will be consulting with our Zimbabwean Ambassador to the UK, proposing that as Zimbabwean citizens we hold peaceful demonstrations to the effect that these inhumane and anti-Zimbabwe progress sanctions be lifted up henceforth.
“We will be inviting our fellow from the SADC region, other African brothers and sisters as well as Zimbabwean well-wishers to come and join us on this day,” said Cde Zavare
He also said that Zanu-PF will write to British Members of Parliament, who represent the constituencies in which they live across the UK, emphasising how these restrictive sanctions are mercilessly affecting citizens as the country’s health and other key institutions cannot access much-needed investment capital due to the devastating economic sanctions imposed on the Zimbabwe.