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Bulawayo Bureau
THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has thrown its weight behind calls by Zimbabweans for the unconditional and urgent removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and its Western allies.
On Friday last week, President Mnangagwa led the Anti-Sanctions Petition Programme in Bulawayo, where he signed the electronic petition and denounced the detrimental impact of the sanctions on the country and the entire SADC region.
Senior Government officials and ordinary Zimbabweans have also appended their signatures on the petition against sanctions. Since 2019, the SADC bloc, in solidarity with Zimbabwe, has set October 25 as the day for a collective regional campaign to demand the removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe.
In an interview, newly-elected ZNLWVA leader Cde Cephas Ncube said every Zimbabwean had to condemn the detrimental impact of sanctions, the effects of which extend to the whole of Southern Africa.
He said sanctions had hindered Zimbabwe’s ability to achieve sustainable development as they inflicted strain on the economy, causing unnecessary suffering of the people of Zimbabwe.
“We are all equal and these sanctions do not affect any singular organisation or individual, but the entire country and now the effects have cascaded into the SADC region,” said Cde Ncube.
As an independent country, he said Zimbabwe should not be bullied or governed by external forces who wanted to benefit from the country’s natural resources.
“Sanctions are not the solution. We are independent just like many of these countries. We are facing these sanctions because of the stance we took as a country to reclaim what is rightfully ours, which is our land.
“We are enjoying the fruits of our land, which are our minerals that they are targeting and that is the reason for the imposition of the sanctions,” Cde Ncube said.
He commended SADC and the African Union for backing Zimbabwe in denouncing sanctions imposed on the country, particularly in light of the current global food and energy crises.
Cde Ncube said despite the sanctions, Zimbabwe had proved more resilient and was holding fort as it continued to strive for the betterment of the country.
The Anti-Sanctions Day served as a platform for regional leaders and citizens to advocate for the removal of the punitive measures, highlighting their adverse effects on essential sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education.
“It is surprising how we are being bullied because of what we have. We have never bullied any country because of their resources. Instead we should forge partnerships and alliances to develop our countries,” said Cde Ncube.
Online Reporter