President Mnangagwa rallies nation for anti-sanctions day

Harare (New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday rallied the nation to collectively call for the unconditional lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe two decades ago.

The country, and all allied Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member states, will hold ceremonies at the weekend to press the West to lift the sanctions.

The sanctions were imposed in an effort to force Zimbabwe to relent on its land reforms designed to redress race-based colonial land ownership inequity favouring minority whites.

At its annual meeting in Tanzania in August last year, Sadc agreed to collectively lobby for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and designated October 25 as the day when each member country will carry out activities to denounce the sanctions.

The Zimbabwe government then declared 25 October a public holiday to mark Sadc solidarity against illegal Western sanctions on the country.

Addressing the ruling Zanu PF Politburo, President Mnangagwa commended Sadc for the continued support for Zimbabwe’s call for the removal of illegal sanctions.

“The expression of solidarity by Sadc member states to our country cannot be over-emphasized. The anti-sanctions day declared by Sadc is upon us.

“We must therefore rally the nation on the 25th of October to call upon Britain and America to unconditionally lift those illegal sanctions imposed on us,” he said.

The President urged Zanu PF members and other progressive forces to support the call for the lifting of sanctions.

“I urge every party member to rely on some available media platforms to call for the unconditional removal of these sanctions. Indeed these sanctions must go.

“Meanwhile, I call upon all progressive forces in the diaspora to join us in echoing this call,” he said.

President Mnangagwa also took the opportunity to commend businesses operating in Zimbabwe for coming up with sanctions bursting initiatives and resilience.

“It is pleasing to note resilience, determination and focus of companies investing, trading and doing business in our country,” he said.

The land reforms, meant to address colonial land ownership imbalances, involved compulsory acquisition of excess white-owned farmland to resettle landless blacks.

New Ziana