OPPOSITION parties have snubbed the invitation extended to them by government to attend the State-organised anti-sanctions musical e-gala scheduled for Bulawayo this Saturday, describing the event as a waste of resources.
The e-gala is part of several events lined up to
commemorate the Anti-Sanctions Day scheduled for October 25, which has since
been declared a public holiday. This year’s commemorations will be held under
the theme: “Resilience, Progress and Solidarity under an Environment of
Sanctions.”
Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member
countries last year pledged to commemorate the event each year in solidarity
with Zimbabwe as part of efforts to pressure the United States government to
drop its targeted sanctions against Harare.
The sanctions were imposed at the turn of the century in
response to then President Robert Mugabe’s land reform programme and gross
human rights abuses. The US government has, however, maintained some of the
restrictive measures to force the Zanu PF administration to introduce a wide
range of reforms.
Local opposition parties have, however, refused to be part
of the commemorations, blaming the Zanu PF government of inviting the
restrictions by disrespecting citizens’ rights.
Opposition parties and traditional leaders in Matabeleland
region have refused to denounce the sanctions, saying the restrictions should
only be lifted after government has implemented reforms demanded by the
international community.
“We do not have time for nonsense. The biggest sanctions
are Zanu PF’s abuse of State apparatus for personal political gain. That alone
is a sanction on the people of Zimbabwe,” MDC Alliance provincial spokesperson
Swithern Chirowodza said.
“Corruption that knows no bounds within government,
extra-judicial murders, abductions and torture of people who hold different
views is another sanction on the people of Zimbabwe.”
Zapu Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Patrick Ndlovu said
the gala was a waste of resources.
“If they are there (sanctions), they do not need a gala.
Sanctions need reforms, good corporate governance and the like. As Zapu, we
feel this is a waste of resources which could have been channelled elsewhere,”
Ndlovu said.
MDC-T acting spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni said the party
had not made a decision yet about its participation.
Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana on
Monday invited all parties to attend the event.
“We have joined hands with other progressive stakeholders
such as business, political parties and civil society to hold this year’s
anti-sanctions e-gala. We extend an invitation to the MDC-T, MDC Alliance and
others to come and give a shout against sanctions,” Mangwana tweeted.
In September 2019, Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo
said Zimbabwe had lost over US$42 billion in potential revenue over the past 18
years due to the sanctions, US$4,5 billion in bilateral donor support, US$12
billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and
African Development Bank and a further US$18 billion in commercial loans.
Newsday
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