CHENGETAI ZVAUYA
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States of America and the European Union (EU) as callous and vindictive affecting the ordinary citizens.
Mnangagwa was addressing thousands of Zimbabweans who had attended the inaugural anti sanctions day at the National Sports Stadium today.
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa also led thousands of people who marched from the Robert Mugabe Square in the city to the National Sports Stadium demonstrating against the sanctions.
“As the people Zimbabwe, we cannot continue to have the right to our fundamental human rights, dignity and worthy trampled upon, all because of the presence of this albatross of sanctions. This injustice of sanctions on our nation, our people and economy, cannot continue. Enough is enough remove sanctions, “said Mnanangwa.
“This is the reality of these deleterious sanctions. The continued judgment and setting of utopian standards for Zimbabwe, which are never applied in any other jurisdiction are callous, vindictive and should not be allowed to continue,” Mnangagwa said.
He said the sanctions have directly perpetuated the cycle of poverty in the country and causing untold suffering to the ordinary people in the country and an albatross to development.
Mnangagwa said for nearly 20 years, Zimbabweans have lived under the unbearable weight of the illegal sanctions and their impact in people’s lives is “immeasurable and the consequences are dire” .
“We know that the sanctions are neither smart nor targeted for example two agricultural and infrastructural development banks were placed under sanctions, which saw them losing millions in lines of credit and reputational damage,” he said.
On August 18 2019, the SADC heads of State and government meeting in Dar es Salam Tanzania, declared October 25 as the day on which the entire SADC region would collectively voice its disapproval and condemnation of the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
SADC chairperson Tanzania President John Magufuli, also sent a message of support to the march in Harare, which was read by his representative Brigadier General Ambrose Alfonce.
US and the EU say the sanctions are targeted at certain individuals and companies.
