Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa
Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
The war to remove illegal sanctions against the country was fought from many fronts and it is disingenuous for an individual to claim glory for progress registered so far, the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches patron Cde Jimayi Muduviri has said.
Cde Muduvuri said diplomatic manoeuvres and lobbying from different interest groups, including the church, started earlier than 2018 and continued until some sanctions were removed.
In one such incident, the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches sought and got an audience with the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) in January.
According to an invitation to members of the press in South Africa dated January 25, 2026, the meeting was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The press invitation was titled: “Deputy Presiding Officer of ECOSOCC to engage Zimbabwean Civil Society on the Ending of Sanctions against Zimbabwe”.
It read: “To this end, on Tuesday 29 January, I am to receive a delegation of civil society leaders from Zimbabwe, led by the Patron of the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches, Mr Jimayi Muduvuri, along with ECOSOCC National Representation for Zimbabwe, to discuss the matter of mobilizing the region and African union for the escalated call to remove sanctions in Zimbabwe,” reads parts of the press invitation.
The African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) was established under articles 5 and 22 of the African union Constitutive Act as a mechanism to promote dialogue between all segments of African people on issues concerning the Continent and its future
It also seeks to forge strong partnerships between governments and all segments of civil society, including women, the youth, organised labour, the private sector, and professional groups.
The invitation also highlighted the work that had been undertaken before 2009, which resulted in a resolution by the African union to call for the lifting of sanctions
“As is on record, in Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.219(XII) of 2009, the AU Assembly called for the immediate lifting of the sanctions on Zimbabwe to ease the economic and humanitarian situation in the country. This call was reiterated by the African union in 2013,” said then ECOSOCC deputy presiding officer Mr Patson Malisa.
“I will therefore engage the delegation along with other leaders of civil society from South Africa to start a region-wide effort into the mobilisation of support for the efforts to have this call escalated towards action, and have a communique produced on the impact of sanctions not only on Zimbabwe, but the Southern region as a whole.”
There have been claims in some quarters that the efforts of a few individuals, including Rutendo Matinyarare under the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement (ZASM) led to the lifting of some sanctions against the country.
Mr Muduvuri said the anti-sanctions crusade started a long time ago, and he was in the thick of things.
“I had to travel to South Africa in 2019 as a culmination of several initiatives and a push to ensure that the story of the debilitating impact of sanctions on Zimbabwe’s economy and its people was told on all platforms for redress,” he said.
