The ManicaPost
Chenai Mutasa Post Correspondent
Over the past week, many progressive Zimbabweans were appalled to see a noticeable number of Zimbabweans who were cheering on the European Union (EU) to renew sanctions on Zimbabwe. More disturbingly, some went as far as forwarding lists of people they felt should be added on the sanctions list.
However, as much as the EU maintained its position on sanctions against the country, they vindicated the President’s engagement and re-engagement policy by not escalating sanctions as campaigned for by some misinformed citizens. The opposition supporters were visibly disappointed, as the EU literally “poured sand or kudira jecha” on the oppositions’ efforts to call for more stringent measures against the country. I would want to refer to the term “kudira jecha” as a signature phrase identified with the MDC, its sympathisers and activists who fight in its corner.
The MDC has always boasted of “kudira jecha” on all Government efforts to rebuild Zimbabwe, making sure that the country is ungovernable. The actions that followed “kudira jecha” have lived up to their billing as one rightfully posted on twitter, the saying goes beyond spoiling the food. “It is also sand thrown into the eyes of gullible supporters, activists and sympathisers to blind them from reality. Kudira jecha mumaziso to blind them from sensibility coz chavanoda kutosvora kuti vanhu vavhare maziso.”
In essence, the opposition is cheating people and blinding them from seeing the reality and genuine concerns on the ground, brought up by sanctions. It is essentially the ordinary citizen who is feeling the brunt of sanctions as there is little access to opportunities that afford for national growth and development.
What Zimbabweans need to be reminded is that the extension of the sanctions has a cascading effect on the economic and social being of the nation. The importance of such reminders is to make sure that Zimbabweans do away with the opposition’s theatrics to blind citizens so that everyone is well aware of what is good for them; which is calling for the uplifting of sanctions.
Zimbabwe is literally tied down from borrowing from financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund, International Finance Cooperation and the World Bank. Besides borrowing, the country can also not make international payments for easy transactions because some companies are blacklisted. In all earnest, a nation cannot develop if it cannot financially transact with the outside world. Borrowing from international financial institutions becomes a tall order for exporting companies and those seeking expansion. This means that simple processes meant to facilitate for import of consumables like hospital drugs and sundries are inconvenienced. To the ordinary person, it becomes “Government’s” fault, yet it the result of sanctions.
Local companies that were employing many people and contributing to the inflow of foreign currency into the country are incapacitated by sanctions. For example, the Zimbabwe Defense Industries (ZDI) that used to produce and export military equipment to other nations no longer does so as it was slapped with sanctions. This meant that foreign currency that was being generated from servicing countries that needed the goods and equipment stopped coming in.
With the rise of globalisation, countries have become inter-dependent on each other and rely more and more on trade with other countries. This inter-dependency has made development visible in most nations as there is exchange of ideas, modern technology, financial assistance and resources that countries need.
Zimbabwe has however, been cut- off as other countries can-not transact in any way with our country, considering that relevant markets, companies and local institutions are cut off by sanctions. Local development has been hugely hindered, with citizens being retrenched from work as companies downsize. Given the negative effects of the sanctions, Zimbabwe should leverage its vast minerals that are in high demand the world over. For example lithium which is essential in manufacturing of batteries is found in large deposits in Zimbabwe. Gold, platinum and diamonds should be exploited as well to drive economic recovery and growth.
Agriculture has also been the major economic driver, as at some point the country was able to feed itself and the region at large. It is also famous for growing organic food. Therefore it would be prudent for the country to resume fruits, vegetable and beef exports into the UK. Following the exit of Britain (Brexit) from the European Union (EU), Britain finds itself in need of raw materials to cater for its industries. Zimbabwe’s abundance of agricultural produce and minerals places it in a position to close the supply gap and benefit financially.
Zimbabwe can also expand its horizons into the Arab world by engaging oil rich countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran, among others. Trade with India, as is already bearing fruit, would also benefit the country a lot, given the latter’s strength in drug and the manufacturing of medical equipment. Recently, India committed to shipping tonnes of medicine to close the gap of drug supply into the country.
As a nation, we should be at the fore of calling for criminal measures against those who call for sanctions against the country. We should remain united in calling off sanctions as they are hampering on progress being made by President Mnangagwa and Government to improve the lives of citizens.
As much we are calling for the lifting of sanctions on our beloved country, we are not going to seat on our laurels whilst crying foul. President Mnangagwa rightly put it when he said that; “we have our policy of engagement and re-engagement. Yes, we have been under sanctions for 20 years. These sanctions have destroyed our economy. We are saying we cannot continue crying. Let us utilise resources given to us by God without borrowing to build our country. To those countries that imposed sanctions on us, ask yourselves what crime have we committed against you?” At one point, President Mnangagwa also said as a nation, it was high time to define who we are and determine our destiny and chart our own course. It is our duty and responsibility as citizens to safeguard our country from imperialists and detractors. Unity of purpose will take us far as a nation and the “kudira jecha” chant should be done away with. Not only does it make life unbearable, it blinds citizens from concentrating on fighting against a common enemy, and that is sanctions.
