The European Union’s decision to renew sanctions against Zimbabwe was another demonstration that the international community is increasingly getting frustrated with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government’s reluctance to reform.
In 2017, European countries were some of the key allies
that embraced Mnangagwa after the coup that toppled Robert Mugabe and were
prepared to give him a chance despite the way he assumed power.
The world had gone grown tired of Mugabe’s despotic rule
and Western countries were eager to see a leader that would extricate Zimbabwe
from years of economic quagmire.
Mnangagwa was saying the right words, including promising a
“new and unfolding democracy.”The opposite, however, is true of the Zanu PF’s
leader’s stewardship of the country since the coup.
Summing up the international community’s frustrations with
the leadership in Harare, the EU expressed “concern that Zimbabwe’s
multifaceted and prolonged crisis has further deepened.”
It noted that: “The lack of substantial reforms has allowed
the continued deterioration of the humanitarian, economic and social situation.
“Violations of human rights and limitations on the democratic space are also
persisting.
“The EU is especially concerned about a proliferation of
arrests and prosecutions of journalists, opposition actors and individuals
expressing dissenting views, and the use by high-level officials of speech that
could be interpreted as incitement to violence.”
We carry elsewhere in full the EU’s statement, which
succinctly explains why Zimbabwe remains isolated internationally even after
Mugabe’s ouster.
Only last month, one of the most enthusiastic supporters of
the military putsch, introduced its own set of targeted sanctions against
Zimbabwe after its departure from the UK on December 31, 2020.
The UK also slapped State Security minister Owen Ncube,
Zimbabwe Republic Police commissioner-general Godwin Matanga, Central
Intelligence Organisation director Isaac Moyo and Zimbabwe’s ambassador to
Tanzania Anselem Senyatwe with travel bans and asset freezes.
As expected government mandarins are dismissive of these
restrictive measures, which they believe aid their propaganda that they are
being unfairly targeted.
A progressive government will use the opportunity to
evaluate its performance and ensure that it is delivering on its promise.
It is Mnangagwa himself who promised the international
community that he will stop the Mugabe era human rights violations, the
stifling of freedom of speech and ruinous economic policies.
He practically developed the score card he is being judged
on. The EU and UK sanctions are an indicator that his performance has been
dismally.
It will indeed require a radical shift from Mnangagwa’s government for Zimbabwe to rid itself of the pariah status and the signs coming out of Western capitals are not promising. Standard
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