President Emmerson Mnangagwa must deal with rampaging inflation as well as human rights abuses in the country before embarrassing himself by roping in regional body Sadc for help in “anti-sanctions” campaigns, analysts and political activists have said.
In an interview on Sunday, economist and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Christopher Mugaga dismissed Mnangagwa’s claims that sanctions are responsible for the country’s economic and social woes, arguing, instead the Zanu PF government has sanctioned Zimbabweans through corruption.
“The biggest sanctions we are imposing on the nation is corruption. Sadc is not needed because we as a nation have the solutions,” said Mugaga.
He added: “We are aware of people who have been exposed by the Auditor General’s Reports over being corrupt, people like (former Cabinet Minister) Prisca Mupfumira. We need to improve on tackling corruption to avoid embarrassing ourselves.”
Opposition MDC MP for Mbizo, Settlement Chikwinya shared the same sentiments.
“Zanu PF has failed to identify the real enemy which is corruption. Instead of marching against imagined sanctions, Zanu PF supporters and their Sadc counterparts must direct their efforts at corruption within their rank and file.
“We do not have sanctions in Zimbabwe but rather travel restrictions for individuals who want to travel to the West and squander ill-gotten money,” Chikwinya argued.
Chikwinya instead called on Zimbabweans to march for the removal of Zanu PF from power.
“It is time Zimbabweans march for the total removal of Zanu PF and its entire leadership from office for the ordinary citizen to have their dignity and prosperity restored,” the lawmaker said.
Political activist Rawlings Magede called sanctions “a crusade with no takers back home.”
“The State remains corrupt and blatantly violates fundamental human rights as well as restriction of people’s freedoms.
“We should devote such energies (marching) and call for political will to deal with corruption and illicit financial flows that have caused serious haemorrhage to our ailing economy,” Magede said.
The comments come as government, with the support of Sadc leaders, will on 25 October, join hands in a clarion call for the unconditional removal of the measures imposed on Zimbabwe by the US and EU.
The march also comes against the background of a deepening economic crisis dramatised by soaring prices of goods and services.
