THE United Kingdom (UK) says it will maintain its tough
stance against the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a position
it says will only change if the regime implements meaningful political and
economic reforms.
UK ambassador to Zimbabwe, Melanie Robinson said Harare had
not done enough to warrant any shift in policy after the European Union council
voted to keep top players in Mnangagwa’s government on the suspended sanctions
list, including former First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Using her Twitter account, Robinson said any changes to themeasures
against Zimbabwe would be informed by reforms that Mnangagwa had agreed to.
“The UK government has always been clear that we believe
changes to sanctions regime against Zimbabwe should reflect progress on the
political and economic reforms promised by President Mnangagwa
#ActionOnReform,” she tweeted yesterday.
The UK insists that the Harare regime has to put an end to
human rights violations, bring to account soldiers who shot and killed six
civilians during the post-election violence on August 1, 2018.
In December last year, Robinson told Vice-President
Constatino Chiwenga in a meeting that human rights violations were worsening
under Mnangagwa’s new dispensation.
“I did express concern about some of the backward steps we
have seen on the reforms in the past two years and asked him to see what he
could take on that,” she said then.
A diplomatic source said the fresh wave of arrests of human
rights defenders and anti-government protesters had evoked worries in the West
and could see tightening of screws on Mnangagwa’s government, which is
desperately seeking re-engagement with the international community.
“The recent reports have seen the government arrest nearly
50 pro-democracy voices and protesters and this has got Western diplomats
worried. It appears the UK will be joining hands with the US [United States] to
take even sterner action if nothing changes,” the source said.
UK, although still bound by the EU decision on sanctions
until end of year, has signalled that it could be taking a tougher approach
against Harare if Mnangagwa fails to reform.
Mnangagwa has been leading prayer vigils, diplomatic
offensive missions in Africa and doling out millions in foreign currency to
public relations organisations and pressure groups in the UK and US in an
effort to have the sanctions removed, moves described as a waste of resources by
Western officials.
Zimbabwe’s desire for readmission to the Commonwealth is in
danger because of lack of reforms, with Robinson telling Chiwenga at the
December meeting that readmission would only happen after economic and
political reforms have been completed. Newsday
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