Mash. Central gears for anti-sanctions march

Bindura (Nehanda Guardian-New Ziana) – At least 15 000 people from eight districts in Mashonaland Central Province are expected to join others from other provinces next week for an anti sanctions solidarity march, officials have said.

Marches will be held in cities and towns countrywide next week to call for the removal of sanctions which the West, led by Britain and the United States, imposed on Zimbabwe two decades ago to punish the country for taking excess farmland from white farmers to resettle landless blacks.

Speaking to New Ziana, ruling ZANU-PF party Mashonaland Central provincial vice chairperson Brigadier (Rtd) Walter Kanhanga said transport to ferry people for the marches had been secured.

“We have been given 25 fuelled buses and an extra 8000ltrs of diesel for supplementary transport. Ten of the buses are from ZUPCO and the other 10 were provided by Munhenzva Coaches whilst CAG seconded the other five, so, we are saying let’s all go for the marches,” he said.

The anti-sanctions marches come against the backdrop of a planned region-wide campaign, led by the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc), to push the West to lift the penalties on Zimbabwe.

At its annual summit last month, Sadc agreed to collectively call for the lifting of the sanctions, which the regional group said were affecting all members not just Zimbabwe.

The summit designated October 25 as a date Sadc member states will collectively carryout different anti-sanctions activities to implore the West to lift the sanctions on Zimbabwe.

The country has suffered economic damage estimated at US$42 billion as a result of the sanctions.

Brig Kanhanga’s call to people in Mashonaland Central to come in large numbers for the marches was echoed by Sam Parirenyatwa, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association provincial chairperson.

“That spirit which possessed us when we marched calling for the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe is the same we want. We must put our political affiliations aside and it is only our numbers that will show how serious we are in calling for the lifting of those sanctions,” he said.
Nehanda Guardian-New Ziana