Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said the poor
attendance at the anti-sanctions march should serve as a huge sign to
Mnangagwa.
“There was a big sign in the stadium. If Mnangagwa is
choosing to ignore these signs, he will be victim, like the biblical Pharaoh.
We are seeing the signs. He can come with Sadc or roll on a false war, but the
message was huge and only an ignorant and arrogance leader can ignore that.
But, I know him; wisdom is not his regular visitor due to arrogance.
Ignorance and arrogance are twins,” Chamisa said.
Information ministry permanent secretary Ndavaningi ‘Nick’
Mangwana yesterday told The Standard that the US sanctions on Ncube were
unjustified.
“These so-called ‘lists’ have just become a farcical and a
form of hegemonic arbitrary justice,” Mangwana said.
“Somebody is placed on these lists based on what exactly?
Social media chatter? Where is the justice in that? The US brands itself a fair
country but everything we have seen regarding the sanctions issue has been
stubborn arrogance. And to ominously announce it on the day Sadc spoke, betrays
a paramount attitude towards African states.”
He said US’s move had become clear that the sanctions being
imposed on Zimbabwe were beyond travelling bans.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the sanctions
were targeting individuals in government and his party.
“It’s not about Owen Ncube but it’s about all these illegal
sanctions. They must remove all the sanctions which are illegal. That’s why we
had the anti-sanctions day. We are saying they must go. They are not targeting
individuals,” he said.
However, Southern Africa Political Economy Series (SAPES)
trust director, Ibbo Mandaza said the flopped anti-sanctions march had no
impact on the US’s stance on Zimbabwe. This was demonstrated by the inclusion
of Ncube on the list the day the country was marching against the embargoes.
“Wasn’t the march a flop nationwide? If so, why should it
have any impact, both nationally and vis a vis the US?”
“The implications are very serious for ED (Mnangagwa), in
particular, his government and those touted as advisers and sympathisers of the
regime: egg on their faces, in the first instance; and growing pressure from an
international community which has lost all confidence in this government. In
this regard, even the region and African Union alike have abandoned a sinking
sheep,” he said.
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred
Masunungure said the Mnangagwa-led government should focus on implementing
Zidera conditions for sanctions to be removed and not focus on anti-sanctions
marches.
“The US is very consistent in its approach and
requirements. The sanctions under Zidera and even its amendment by Trump this
year, they are sending a clear message to Zimbabwe.
The message [is the same], notwithstanding who is in power,
either Democrats or Republicans. The conditions clearly stipulated in Zidera
must be fulfilled first. The anti-sanctions march to me was irrelevant,” he
said.
He said by adding Ncube to the sanction list, the US was
sending a clear message to Zimbabwe that it was not moved by the anti-sanctions
march but the conditions in Zidera should be fulfilled before sanctions could
be considered for lifting.
0 comments:
Post a Comment