dyton mupawaenda
Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
AHEAD of the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day tomorrow, Zimbabweans and diplomats from across the world have called for the unconditional lifting of the illegal economic sanctions that have wrought suffering on ordinary persons.
Diplomats and ordinary Zimbabwean citizens who spoke to The Herald yesterday denounced the unilateral sanctions for bleeding the country’s economy and called for their unconditional removal.
Malawi’s envoy to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Mwayiwawo Polepole, told The Herald that sanctions were not only affecting Zimbabweans, but also “holding back” the realisation of the region’s economic potential.
Ambassador Polepole said Lilongwe would continue standing with Harare in calling for the removal of the sanctions that have restricted Zimbabwe’s economic development.
“The Government and the people of Malawi stand united with the Government and the people of Zimbabwe on the removal of sanctions. Malawi affirms that sanctions should be removed so that innocent people can access economic development.
“Sadly, the sanctions are not only hurting Zimbabwe but they are also holding back the economic potential of the entire region of Southern Africa which Zimbabwe is an integral part of,” he said.
Palestine’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ambassador Tamer Almassri said Palestine would not relent in calling for the unequivocal removal of sanctions as they were detrimental to the country’s economic development.
He said Palestine will always stand with Zimbabweans, because Zimbabwe continues to stand with Palestine in their fight against Israeli brutality.
“It is very clear and it is not on the table to negotiate, it is a principal position and in spite of the Israeli genocide war against our people, the double standards of the colonial powers and international community, we stand with Zimbabwe. Palestine will partner Zimbabwe this year on the Anti-Sanctions Day,” he said.
In 2019, SADC Heads of State and Government set aside October 25 as Anti-Sanctions Day to protest the imposition of illegal sanctions by the United States and its Western allies that include Britain and the European Union.
This year’s Anti-Sanctions Day will be held under the theme, ‘Harnessing the Youth for Accelerated Socio-Economic Development in the Fight Against Sanctions’.
Political commentator, Mr Rutendo Matinyarare, said sanctions called for by the opposition CCC had only served to derail the country’s progress.
He said because of the illegal embargo and the opposition’s gross incompetence, Zimbabwe had lost its status as one of the cleanest countries on the African continent.
“We have been under sanctions for 23 years and in those 23 years the Municipality of Harare has been run by the CCC/MDC but in the city centre of Harare there is a mess, rubbish is not being picked. This is happening under CCC who called for sanctions,” he said.
Ms Laftina Meda, an airtime vendor in Harare’s CBD, said growing up she never understood what sanctions really were but as she grew older she began to appreciate their dire impact.
Now that she fully understands, she said she would be joining the nation tomorrow in calling for their unequivocal removal.
“Chimudhara (my friend), when I was growing up I used to hear a lot of talk about sanctions but I never really managed to appreciate what they really are until I was very much older.
“As I grew older I started to get an appreciation and now I see their impact on our lives on a daily basis, honestly I do not understand why these countries want to see us suffer, we do not want these sanctions, they are affecting our livelihoods.
“Musiwe Wednesday chaiye (on Wednesday) I will join in calling for their absolute removal,” Ms Meda said.
Mr Luckson Chinama, a gardener in Hatfield, described the punitive measures as “absolute rubbish”.
“I don’t want to lie to you or even mince my words, sanctions are absolute rubbish. President Mnangagwa is leading the country well and we are developing under sanctions now, imagine if there were no sanctions imposed on us, where would we be by now?” he said.
“I know that if we did not have sanctions on us we would be leading much better lives, that is a given fact.”
Ms Kayla Muza, a tuckshop owner, said she wanted the economic sanctions removed so that she can realise her dream of becoming a big supermarket owner.
She added that she would definitely join the rest of the nation in calling for the sanctions’ removal.
“I just want these things (sanctions) to be removed so that we can lead better lives and see the fulfilment of our dreams. You know my brother I also have a dream to own a large retail supermarket, so I desperately need them removed because I know if they are removed I will realise my dream definitely.
“My father was a very learned man and he always used to tell us when we were kids that America and the West did not want to see Zimbabwe prospering and realising its full potential, so the continuous presence of these sanctions only shows my father was indeed correct,” Ms Muza said.
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