adminNamibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba on Thursday implored Western countries to lift illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe in the wake of the highly hailed elections, the excuse the West used as justification for the sanctions.The West imposed sanctions on the country more than a decade ago over its land reform programme, but disguised the penalties as punishment for alleged human rights violations and a crackdown on the opposition by the Government.
The sanctions are said to have cost the economy over US$42 billion in revenue during the period leaving people deeply traumatised and impoverished.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Pohamba said the West should follow through on a promise to lift the sanctions once Zimbabwe held elections certified democratic by the Sadc, the African Union and other international election agencies.
Both Sadc and the AU and virtually all other election observers declared the July 31 polls not only free, fair and credible, but also representing the will of the Zimbabwean people.
President Pohamba said it was now incumbent upon the West to lift the sanctions as promised, to allow the country to develop.
“Sadc and the AU declared the elections held in Zimbabwe as free and fair and representing the will of Zimbabweans.
“In this context, Namibia calls for the unconditional lifting of all sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe,” he said.
He said this would allow Zimbabwe to develop and ease the suffering of the country’s people.
But the West, in its typical double dealing, has changed goalposts over the issue and refused to accept the verdicts of Sadc and the AU over the elections and claimed these were unfree and unfair and not warranting the lifting of the sanctions.
It is unclear on what basis the West made the judgment as election monitors from all Western countries were not allowed to take part in the poll in which President Mugabe and his party won by a landslide.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, President Mugabe also strongly condemned the sanctions and said these were aimed at removing him from power to reverse land reforms.
He vowed to press ahead with the reforms, including indigenisation and economic empowerment which the Government has now embarked on. – New Ziana.
Online Reporter