VICE President Constantino Chiwenga has described the United Kingdom and the United States of America’s conditions for maintaining sanctions on the country as “nonsense”.
Zimbabwe, Wednesday, commemorated Anti-sanctions Day as it continues to clamour for the lifting of the embargo placed on it in 2002.
The government gathered civil servants and students for an anti-sanctions march from the Munhumutapa Building to Africa Unity Square in Harare. Similar protests were witnessed in different provinces.
“The United Kingdom claims that it imposed sanctions to discourage the government of Zimbabwe and any person or entity from abusing Zimbabweans as well as to promote the rule of law and good governance.
“Meanwhile the United States claims it imposed and maintains sanctions on Zimbabwe as a favour to provide transition to democracy and to promote economic recovery. What kind of nonsense is that,” said Chiwenga.
The UK and US imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in response to human rights abuses and corruption by the government of President Robert Mugabe, at the height of the land reform program.
Chiwenga’s criticism of the sanctions has been echoed by other Zimbabwean government officials, as well as some African leaders who have taken to international forums to call for the removal of sanctions.
However, the UK and US have defended their sanctions, arguing that they are necessary to pressure the Zimbabwean government to improve its human rights record and democratic institutions.
Chiwenga said sanctions create an uneven playing field during elections favouring the opposition to topple the Zanu PF government.
“Zimbabwe has a sovereign right to elect its own leaders and to govern itself without external interference. A country is built and governed by its own people. Not foreigners but by its own people.
“Despite the sanctions that have weakened our institutions and degraded our infrastructure, Zimbabwe has religiously held free and fair general elections. Sanctions which seek to induce change of government in Zimbabwe are in essence creating unfair electoral playing field by supporting, favouring and capacitating regime change agenda,” said Chiwenga.
Source: Newzim
