UNITED States (US) ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols,
has dismissed government claims that Western sanctions were behind the
country’s economic meltdown, saying the haemorrhage was being fuelled by
high-profile corruption, economic mismanagement, policy inconsistency and
failure to respect human rights, among other vices.
In an opinion piece written for NewsDay, Nichols said those
vices were holding the country back. His statement comes as government has
declared tomorrow a public holiday to campaign for the unconditional lifting of
the sanctions.
Government claims sanctions were blocking lines of credit
and trade.Sadc countries have also pledged to observe the day in solidarity
with Harare to pressure the European Union and US to lift the sanctions which
were imposed following gross human rights abuses and electoral fraud during the
late former President Robert Mugabe’s rule.
The US government in March this year extended the sanctions
by a year, saying they would only be lifted after President Emmerson Mnangagwa
has honoured his reform pledge.
“Blaming sanctions is a convenient scapegoat to distract
the public from the real reasons behind Zimbabwe’s economic challenges —
corruption, economic mismanagement, and failure to respect human rights and
uphold the rule of law,” Nichols said.
“What then is holding Zimbabwe back? It’s not sanctions.
There are only 141 Zimbabwean people and companies on the US sanctions list.
That’s right, just 141, in a country of 16 million. They are on the list for
good reason.”
He added: “There is no US trade embargo on Zimbabwe.
American companies are interested in investing in Zimbabwe, but are deterred by
the massive levels of corruption, economic uncertainty, and weak rule of law.
So, investors turn to other promising opportunities in the region and wait for
the country to embrace the political and economic reforms that would make it a
more attractive destination.”
Nichols said the greatest sanctions on Zimbabwe were the
limitations the country was imposing on itself.Nichols said Zimbabwe is ranked
160 out of 175 nations on Transparency International’s corruption list.
The US envoy chronicled a lot of corrupt activities by
government fatcats, including the missing US$2,8 million earmarked for the
Command Agriculture programme, and how American companies were unceremoniously
elbowed out of the Dema Power project after winning the tender in 2016, and
replaced by Sakunda Holdings.
He also cited scandals at the Zimbabwe National Road
Authority and Zesa Holdings, where millions of dollars could not be accounted
for.
“Corruption is at the heart of why Zimbabweans are
suffering through prolonged power outages. It’s not sanctions. It’s a betrayal
of the public trust,” Nichols charged.
He declared that Zimbabwe loses more than US$1 billion per
year to corruption, which is a huge figure considering that the country’s
entire economy is just around US$26 billion.
He said if government was serious about fighting
corruption, the country’s laws should be applied evenly and enforced.
If the government managed to do that, then State coffers
would be full and the economy humming, he further averred.The US envoy said
Mnangagwa’s administration must also resolve several reports of abductions and
human rights violations recorded in the past few months.
Meanwhile, NewsDay yesterday gathered that government had
extended a begging bowl to the corporate sector and well-wishers to fund its
ambitious anti-sanctions march pencilled for tomorrow, and commandeered all
students not sitting for public examinations and staff to organise own
transport to the venues.
Teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that
government had ordered all pupils not writing public examinations to attend the
national and provincial anti-sanctions marches without fail.
Zanu PF structures, meanwhile, have been moving around the
country soliciting for financial support to fund the campaign which is expected
to gobble at least $4 million.
In an undated letter signed by one T Beto on behalf of
Chipinge State Occasions Committee, members of the Chipinge Dairy Farmers
Association were asked to provide diesel to transport people to Chipinge for
the march, while several provinces, including Harare, have received similar
requests.
“Chipinge district has taken a stance to support the
solidarity march whose main event will be in Harare, with a similar one being
held in Chipinge,” part of the letter on a Local Government ministry letterhead
read.
“In view of the above, we have been assigned as the
district fundraising committee subcommittee to mobilise diesel for vehicles to
ferry members of Chipinge community to the historical event.”
The letter added: “We thus unite to request for your
support in providing the committee with diesel to fuel vehicles that will
transport people to the event.”
In Harare, Primary and Secondary Education secretary
Tumisang Thabela wrote to provincial education director Christopher Kateera on
October 15, advising that government had requested the release of about 2 304
students and teachers for mass display performances at the main anti-sanctions
march.
“You are requested to ensure availability of the learners
and their teachers for this important government event without disrupting
examinations that are already under way.”
Teachers’ unions also leaked a WhatsApp message that was
also ordering schools to release general hand staff for the anti-sanctions
march, with the respective schools expected to foot their transport and food
bills.
Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi yesterday said
teachers were civil servants and obliged to support government work.
“The anti-sanction is a State event and Public Service has
the right to compel teachers (to attend). It is not a partisan event, it is a
national event,”Mutodi said.
“It is ignorance or the lack of understanding by those
teachers and I doubt their credentials. These are State events and they are
required to participate.
“Teachers have been advocating for the higher salaries and
government has not been able to pay them because of those sanctions.” Newsday
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