UK announces sanctions against Zimbabwe security chiefs

STAFF WRITER

The United Kingdom (UK) has placed a travel ban and asset freeze on Zimbabwe security chiefs for fuelling “human rights violations”, the first designation the UK has placed on individuals  from its former colony  after leaving the EU block on December 31,2020.

In a statement Monday, the UK said it had sanctioned Security Minister Owen Ncube, police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga, CIO director general Isaac Moyo and former Presidential Guard Commander Anselem Sanyatwe ‘responsible for serious human rights violations, including the deaths of 23 Zimbabwe protestors”.

“Today’s announcement ensures these individuals cannot freely travel to the UK, channel money through UK banks or profit from our economy. These restrictive measures are not targeted at, nor intended to impact, the wider economy and the people of Zimbabwe, “the UK said.

“Following the UK’s departure from the European Union and the end of the Transition Period, the UK can now pursue an independent sanctions policy reflecting our foreign policy and national security interests.”

The UK said these targeted designations hold to account those responsible for the worst human rights violations against the people of Zimbabwe since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in November 2017.

“This includes a state-sponsored crackdown against protests in January 2019 that resulted in the deaths of 17 Zimbabweans and post-election violence in August 2018 in which six protestors lost their lives,” it said.

“These sanctions send a clear message that we will hold to account those responsible for the most egregious human rights violations, including the deaths of innocent Zimbabweans.”

The UK had warmed up to the President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration since it swept to power in a military assisted transition in November 2017.

This came at a time when the US and some western countries were skeptical on the new administration’s plea for reform.

Critics including members of the vanquished G40 that had coalesced around former First Lady Grace Mugabe, accused the UK for allegedly playing a midwife role in the ouster of the Robert Mugabe administration.

Last year, Sanyatwe and Ncube were also sanctioned by the US for human rights violations.