The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube Post Correspondent
MUTARE residents have hailed the decision by SADC countries to come together and amplify the call to have the debilitating sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Britain and her western allies lifted.
Sadc countries declared October 25 as the solidarity day against illegal sanctions imposed on the country and resolved to conduct activities calling for their immediate removal.
In a communiqué of the 39th Sadc Summit of the Heads of State and Government, Sadc executive secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, called for the immediate lifting of sanctions to facilitate socio-economic recovery in the country.
In March this year, US President Donald Trump’s administration extended economic sanctions by a year, saying they would not be removed unless political reforms take place.
Mutare residents this week said the solidarity day would send a clear message to the West that the sanctions were unfair and unwarranted.
Mrs Winnie Makedenge, a local banker said: “We hail the collective effort by SADC countries and we hope it influence the West change its stance against Zimbabwe. SADC is the region that has been ravaged by HIV and AIDS. It is the worst affected by poverty and therefore the collective call for the removal of the punitive sanctions puts the West under pressure to review its stance on moral grounds. It exposes the world’s powerful pilling misery and suffering on a poor country. Africa as a whole has a good number of raw materials that the West had been getting for a song, therefore when the entire bloc unites in calling for removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, it rings alarm bells in the minds of Western leaders on the need to protect their interests in Africa, specifically the Southern part of it. The collective call for removal of sanctions by the entire SADC region also sets a good precedence that might end up being followed by the entire continent. Such an initiative that will certainly get global attention,” she said.
Mr Artwell Maturure said: “The sanctions on Zimbabwe have not yielded their required results. The general people have turned out to be the major victims. We call upon the West to remove the sanctions for the benefit of the ordinary citizens. The solidarity call will mean a lot to us as it will send a clear message to the European community that their sanctions are hurting the economy of Zimbabwe.”
Mr Munyaradzi Zinomwe, a local businessman said: “Good news for Zimbabwe. This is quite a noble gesture by fellow Africans.
“The removal of sanctions is long overdue. We have suffered enough and we really want them removed unconditionally. We salute Sadc for rallying its support behind Zimbabwe.”
Mr Aaron Chemvura said: “Southern African solidarity from the days of Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda and Seretse Khama won the country’s independence. The same solidarity under the banner of the Frontline States helped usher Namibia and SA’s independence. I am confident this renewed solidarity against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Britain and its western allies will prevail over the imperialist machinations.”
