admin
Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
FRIDAY is a historic day for Zimbabwe and Southern Africa as nations under Sadc hold events in their respective countries to lobby for the lifting of illegal Western sanctions that the country has been labouring under for almost two decades.
Sadc, during its 39th Ordinary Summit held in Tanzania in August, declared October 25 as the Solidarity Day Against Illegal Sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and resolved to conduct various activities on the day to call for the immediate lifting of the sanctions.
On its, part, the Zimbabwean Government has gone further to declare the day a public holiday to allow Zimbabweans from across the country the opportunity to make a stand against the sanctions that have stood as an impediment to the development of the country for almost 20 years.
Never before has Zimbabwe received such bold support on the lifting of the sanctions by the regional grouping and other African nations outside the bloc.
The solidarity Zimbabwe has received also points to the success of the engagement and re-engagement drive by the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa that seeks to strengthen already existing ties and rekindle those that had broken down in the course of the previous administration.
Importantly, the support by Sadc is also an expression of confidence in the Second Republic in as far as the reforms President Mnangagwa is implementing as part of efforts to turn around the fortunes of the country.
The Zimbabwean sanctions issue has also served as a reminder of the importance of co-operation by regional groups and the continent at large in the pursuit of their interests as Africa is stronger united for shared goals than divided by narrow interests.
Regional Heads of States have used international fora to lobby for the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe to allow the country make a turn around without hindrance from the economic embargo.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni used his country’s recent independence celebrations, where President Mnangagwa was a special guest, to highlight the unfairness of powerful nations’ bullying tactics on smaller States calling for deeper co-operation within the continent as an insulation to the sanctions.
Earlier in the year, President Museveni, who was guest of honour at the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, described the sanctions as an act of cowardice.
“On behalf of Uganda, I want to condemn the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe for such a long time. This idea of sanctions is cowardice,” said President Museveni then.
Other notable leaders who have called for the lifting of sanctions include the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Namibian President Hage Geingob and Tanzanian President Dr John Magufuli among other leaders.
All the leaders have highlighted that Zimbabwe, since the inception of the Second Republic, is headed for a positive turn and the sanctions only serve to, as President Kagame put it, deny the country the tools it so needs to achieve the much-desired turn around.
Sadly, the opposition has elected to shun the day for selfish political gain arguing that corruption more than sanctions has destroyed the country over the years.
While it is true that corruption has been a cancer that was allowed to fester in the previous administration, the opposition has deliberately cast a blind eye on the efforts that the Government has made in the fight against graft.
The capacitation of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, for example, has led to the arrest of high-profile figures like former Tourism and Hospitality Minister Prisca Mupfumira and other notable officials who enjoyed freedom in the past administration.
The Zacc chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda Moyo, is also on record as saying that her commission is investigating a number of graft cases and will soon be making more arrests.
But that is beside the point.
History will always record that it was the very opposition that invited sanctions against Zimbabwe in the vain hope of causing chaos in the country that would be used as a spring board to power.
Over the years, the sanctions have failed to effect regime change that the opposition so desired but have caused untold suffering to Zimbabweans.
In their unbridled ambition to get into power, the opposition has lost meaning of national interest and principles and interests of the State that they have sacrificed on the altar of the love for power by any means necessary.
Their refusal to take part in reversing an evil they helped cause cannot be taken as an act of standing on principle but the “jecha” politics that they have adopted to stand in the way of progress in a desperate attempt to remain relevant in the country’s politics.
Despite their antics, President Mnangagwa has reiterated his calls for the opposition to join him for dialogue under the Political Actors Dialogue.
In his address at the Ugandan Independence celebrations, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has survived the illegal sanctions because of political and material support received from fellow African countries.
“Zimbabwe is a country in transition, we are under sanctions for 20 years. However, because of solidarity and support, political and material, from our sister countries like the Republic of Uganda, we still survive,” said President Mnangagwa.
It is therefore the duty of all patriotic Zimbabweans, buoyed by the support of Sadc and other African countries, to come out in their numbers to call for the removal of sanctions that have cost the country billions of dollars and a livelihood for the people.
Online Reporter