Thousands march against sanctions

Illegal embargo at odds with modern & progressive world

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West have brought untold suffering to ordinary people and their impact has also affected neighbouring countries.

He said this while addressing thousands of people at the National Sports Stadium who turned out to mark the SADC declared day against sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

The day was adopted by SADC Heads of State and Government at the Summit held in Tanzania in August.

“On 18 August 2019, the SADC Heads of State and Government, meeting in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, took a bold and historic decision to declare October 25, as the day on which the entire SADC region would collectively voice its disapproval and condemnation of the illegal sanctions imposed on our country, Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The unjustified and oppressive illegal sanctions continue to cause untold suffering to the ordinary people of our great country. Their direct and indirect debilitating impacts have equally been felt by our neighbours.

“Today (yesterday), we arise and collectively say enough is enough. The illegal sanctions are an albatross to the development, well-being and prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe.”

President Mnangagwa thanked SADC for standing by Zimbabwe and its condemnation of the sanctions at the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly.

He also commended Zimbabweans for speaking out against the embargo, as evidenced by the huge turnout at yesterday’s protest march.

“The dispossession of our land was one of the primary grievances which led us to wage the protracted liberation struggle for our country.

“Ours was a fight to reunite the land with its people and the people with their land, which promise we fulfilled during the land reform exercise. However, this had dire consequences and led to the imposition of the illegal and

THOUSANDS of Zimbabweans from all walks of life yesterday participated in the historic antisanctions marches that took place in all the country’s 10 provinces.

In Bulawayo, residents marched from the robot-controlled intersection in Pelandaba, robot-controlled intersection near Mpopoma High School and robot-controlled intersection near Western Commonage Police Station to White City Stadium as part of the campaign against the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States, UK and their allies.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube, who was accompanied by Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raji Modi and Zanu-PF Central Committee member and Senator Molly Mpofu, led the march to the venue of the anti-sanctions campaign. She read the President’s speech.

Scores of people, including Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube, the chairperson of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Justice Sello Nare, service chiefs, war veterans, senior Government officials, students, churches and businesspeople joined the nation in campaigning against the sanctions when they converged at White City Stadium.

Speakers drawn from churches, organisations representing students, residents, war veterans and the business sector delivered solidarity messages.

The chairman of the Bulawayo United Residents’ Association (Bura) Mr Winos

unjustifiable sanctions by the European Union and the USA,” he said.

The President said the USA’s Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) had cut off the country from international financial institutions with those

Dube said the sanctions were a result of a misconception by the United States that there were human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

He said the US was opposed to a series of initiatives by the Government to empower indigenous people such as the land reform programme.

“The US perceived such initiatives by the Government as human rights abuses and as a result enacted what became known as Zidera,” he said in reference to the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, the US sanctions law.

Mr Dube said despite commendable efforts by President Mnangagwa to make socio-economic reforms and his Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra, the US and its allies continue to turn a blind eye.

He said the sanctions were hurting ordinary Zimbabweans and urged residents to take a stand against them by participating wholeheartedly in anti-sanctions campaigns.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Matabeleland Chapter president, Mr Golden Muoni urged Zimbabweans to rise up and speak with one voice, saying the country has lost billions in potential revenue due to the embargo.

He said industry is failing to grow because Zimbabwe is no longer getting direct foreign investment.

Bulawayo provincial war veterans’ chairperson Cde Cephas Ncube likened sanctions to witchcraft, saying they were affecting ordinary citizens, women and children. that go against that law risking their financial transactions being blocked or penalised.

“Furthermore ZIDERA has blocked Zimbabwe’s access to international credit markets, leading to the drying up of traditional sources of external finance.

“The country has not received any budget support from the IMF and the World Bank since the imposition of sanctions,” said President Mnangagwa.

He added that the sanctions had forced Government to operate from hand to mouth while some commercial banks had been fined for breaking the sanctions law.

“For nearly 20 years, we have lived under the unbearable weight of these illegal sanctions. Their impact on our daily lives is immeasurable and the consequences are dire. We know very well that the sanctions are neither ‘smart’ nor ‘ targeted’. For example, two agricultural and infrastructural development banks were placed under sanctions, which saw them losing millions, in lines of credit and reputational damage.

“State-owned companies and their subsidiary companies in the fertiliser industry also had their accounts frozen. Millions belonging to another chemical manufacturing company were also intercepted. Another State-owned company responsible for marketing the country’s minerals lost revenue in similar circumstances. The list is indeed endless,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said hospitals had also been affected while many people had lost their jobs due to company closures. “The negative perception that has come with sanctions has impacted on foreign direct investment inflows. This, in turn, negatively affects our economic growth, balance of payment position and employment levels.

“Every part of our country and sector of the economy, has been affected by these sanctions. Like a cancer, the sanctions know neither colour, nor creed, age or gender and affect the rich and vulnerable, as well as the young and old alike,” said President Mnangagwa.

He added that the sanctions were imposed as a direct response to the country’s land reform programme.

The President said the programme was irreversible as many people had sacrificed their lives to reclaim the land during the liberation war.

“The sanctions were actually requested by the opposition and now they are also feeling the pinch. Bulawayo was the country’s industrial hub but due to sanctions we now have unemployment because firms have either closed or scaled down operations. As veterans of the liberation struggle, we are saying sanctions must go because that is not what we fought for. We fought for peace and economic prosperity,” he said.

The president of the Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe, Reverend Tsungai Vushe urged churches to join the nation in calling for the removal of sanctions.

He said the role of the church is to pray for unity, peace and love.

Child president Mukudzeishe Madzivire said the sanctions were destroying innocent children’s lives.

The event was marked by scintillating performances from Bambanani Women’s Dance Group and Snippers which captivated the audience through their well - choreographed dances while Amakhosikazi Entuthuko and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) brass band captured the mood of the occasion through their soothing music.

In the Midlands province, scores of people participated in the anti-sanctions march.

People from all eight districts in the province gathered at Gweru Sports Club before marching into the Central Business District.

Midlands Provincial Minister of State Larry Mavima led the march in the company of Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Engineer Daniel Mackenzie Ncube. Residents waved placards inscribed with messages such as “Sanctions a weapon of mass destruction” and “Sanctions are destroying our future as youth”.

There was entertainment and solidarity messages from Midlands State University band, Man Soul Jah, gospel artist Mai Patai, students, pupils, chiefs and poets.

Minister Mavima then read President Mnangagwa’s speech marking the end of the march.

Eng Mackenzie Ncube said because of the fact that the country is socio-economically hamstrung by the sanctions, the fight against embargo should be an everyday event.

In Masvingo, there was a capacity crowd. Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira, provincial war veterans’ leader Cde Tendeukai Chinooneka, Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo, members of the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and senior Zanu-PF members, among others, joined the anti-sanctions march.

In an interview on the sidelines of proceedings, Cde Chinooneka said the inaugural Sadc-initiated march against illegal sanctions had sent a clear message to the United States to unconditionally remove the sanctions.

“As war veterans we are unequivocally calling for the unconditional removal of illegal sanctions now. We are at the receiving end economically due to sanctions such that basic commodities, transport and even education are now beyond the reach of an average person,” said Cde Chinooneka.

Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (ZICOSU) provincial president Blessing Mlemu said students at tertiary institutions were failing to complete their education due to the illegal sanctions.

“We have some of the students who have dropped out of school because they could not pay fees. This is because of the illegal sanctions that have rendered our parents’ incomes valueless. We categorically call for their removal as a matter of urgency,” said Mlemu.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Wellington Mahwende said sanctions were causing untold suffering to Masvingo residents.

The event was punctuated by splendid displays by drum majorettes complemented by traditional dances by inmates as Mutimurefu Prison.

In Matabeleland North, people started arriving in Lupane as early as 8AM with buses trickling in from all the seven districts.

The procession, which was led by youths who sang and danced while denouncing the illegal sanctions started at 10.30AM and went around suburbs to the venue, Somhlolo Stadium.

The crowd had already swelled when official proceedings started at midday.

Various stakeholders gave solidarity messages. Representing war veterans, Cde Davison Ndlovu said the sanctions were not targeted as they were affecting all citizens. He said this is against what he and other freedom fighters fought for.

A women’s representative, Mrs Donny Sibanda, said women bear the brunt of the illegal sanctions as they are the ones who have the burden of taking care of families.

“Hospitals are not functioning and unless sanctions are removed, women will always remain disempowered,” she said.

A representative of farmers in the province, Mr Daniel Sithole, said removal of sanctions will capacitate the agricultural sector.

Chief Mabhikwa said the entire province stands in solidarity with President Mnangagwa in advocating for the removal of the illegal embargo.

Provincial Affairs Minister Richard Moyo read the President’s speech.

Residents were treated including soccer matches.

In Matabeleland South, the march against sanctions took place in the provincial capital, Gwanda. Scores of people, among them local MPs, heads of Government departments, police, politicians and pupils marched from Zuva Service Station in the central business district to Phelandaba Stadium where the main function was held.

The crowd marched through the mining town while holding banners and placards containing messages denouncing sanctions.

People were kept entertained by army band, drum majorettes, Gwanda Prison inmates and local artistes. Pupils from local schools recited poems denouncing sanctions. Matabeleland South provincial development coordinator, Ms Sithandiwe Ncube read the President’s speech on behalf the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Cde Abednico Ncube. to entertainment