admincivilian leadership in Zanu-PF and the members of the defence forces who remained on the sanctions list would remain united.
“The maintenance of sanctions on heads of the defence forces is meant to create conflict,” he said.
“The European Union thinks it can exploit that to create splits within Zanu-PF. The defence leadership is part and parcel of the political leadership.
“No one from the civilian leadership will fall into that trap. Members of the defence forces know this is an attempt to sow seeds of division in this country.”
Cde Sekeramayi said the process was just one of the many futile attempts by the West to create conflict and division within Zanu-PF.
He said as a party, Zanu-PF viewed the partial and selective removal of the restrictions and sanctions as meaningless.
“They are illegal and must be removed unconditionally on everyone,” said Cde Sekeramayi. “This divide and rule will not work.”
The EU was blasted for tokenism after it removed 81 individuals and eight companies from its illegal sanctions list and maintained the embargoes on 10 influential people, among them President Mugabe, the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, service chiefs and the war veterans’ leader.
The bloc maintained its embargoes on the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the Zimbabwe Defence Industries in a clear assault on the country’s economic and defence pillars.
Other individuals retained on the list are Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Air Force of Zimbabwe commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri, ZNA Chief of Staff Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Happyton Bonyongwe and Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairman Cde Jabulani Sibanda.
Online Reporter