Zimbabwe rejects US government’s partial removal of sanctions

Zanu PF led government says the measures are 'acceptable to Zimbabwe and her long-abused, innocent people'

Targeted ... President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration have failed to shake off the country's delinquent status with tough handling of dissent under his rule

HARARE – The Zimbabwean government has trashed attempts by the United States to ease its 20-year-old sanctions on the country while narrowing the diplomatic measures on just President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his wife, deputy and a targeted few.

The new measures were announced on Monday by President Joe Biden’s government and they target the first couple and 9 others.

They follow the repeal of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) introduced 2001 in response to rights abuses, corruption and poll theft under the then Robert Mugabe led government.

Responding to the new measures, the government on Thursday said the decision by Biden to narrow the sanctions was inconsequential and an “illegality”.

“Today, Zimbabwe cannot be expected to thank or be grateful to President Biden and the US for announcing palliative measures towards finally rescinding an illegality and an outrage, even then at its own pace, perpetrated for more than two decades, and in flagrant violation of international law,” reads part of the statement.

Washington insists its sanctions were not targeted at the entire Zimbabwean population with Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo on Monday saying they were directed at “Mnangagwa’s criminal network of government officials and businesspeople who are most responsible for corruption or human rights abuse against the people of Zimbabwe”.

Zimbabwe is adamant “nothing short of some prompt, unconditional removal in toto of those illegal coercive measures, including the infamous ZDERA, is acceptable to Zimbabwe and her long-abused, innocent people”.

“Further, Zimbabwe takes great exception to gratuitous slander, and defamatory remarks by officials of the Biden Administration against the sanctioned Zimbabwean leadership and its nationals.

“This slander has been repeated here on Zimbabwean soil by local staff of the United States Embassy.

“What adds to the outrage is that these bald and damaging accusations, coldly and mechanically made through a pre-drafted standard text of high-handed pillory by the US, are not backed by any iota of evidence; nor do they follow any internationally,” reads the statement.