Zimbabwe reacts mixedly to new US sanctions

The United States on Monday lifted sanctions on many Zimbabweans and companies but imposed new sanctions on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some senior leaders, amid mixed emotions among Zimbabwe’s political class.

The sanctions list was introduced in 2001 over alleged election manipulation and human rights abuses. Meanwhile, Washington has imposed new sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior leaders, denouncing what it calls a campaign of rights abuses and corruption in the southern African country.

Zimbabwean government spokesman Nick Mangwana praised the removals on social media, calling them a “strong testament” to Mnangagwa’s foreign policy.

However, he said that with Mnangagwa and some companies still subject to sanctions, Zimbabwe as a whole “remains subject to illegal sanctions”.

But Rutendo Matinyarare, chairman of the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement, released a video welcoming the changes. The Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement is one group that has been leading calls for the lifting of sanctions.

“This is very important,” he said. “The Zimbabwean government can borrow money, Zimbabwean businesses can borrow money, they can buy machinery, they can make payments. We are very happy that these most pertinent and evil sanctions have been lifted.”

However, he said there is still work to be done.

“Now how do we deal with the sanctions against the president, some businessmen and some ministers?” he said. “We will say and urge the president of the country and the businessmen who join us that we will take legal action to lift these sanctions. We have proven that legal pressure is effective and more effective than re-engagement because if re-engagement [worked], our president, vice president, and members of our government will not be subject to sanctions. “

Zimbabwe’s government blames sanctions for the country’s economic woes since they were imposed in the early 2000s.

But critics attribute the decline to corruption and poor policies in Harare.

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Lloyd Damba said lifting most sanctions would expose the shortcomings of the ruling ZANU-PF party.

“It’s a good thing that these sanctions have been lifted, now we want to see how the economy is going to perform,” he said. “Because you know these people are corrupt, we know these people are incapable. We know these people will never give up the way they do things, especially when it comes to robbing and stealing. Those things [have] It has nothing to do with sanctions. “

Tafadzwa Manenji, an independent international relations commentator based in Harare, believes subjecting the president to sanctions will affect the entire country.

“The people on the list are governments, so you can’t sanction the people responsible … and say no one else must be affected by those sanctions,” he said.

In announcing changes to the sanctions regime on Monday, President Joe Biden also ended an official state of emergency first imposed by the United States in 2003 over the actions and policies of the Zimbabwean government.