National Patriotic Front (NPF) spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire says the removal of targetted sanctions on Zimbabwe’s ruling elite without the restoration of the rule of law and respect of human and property rights will be of no benefit to Zimbabweans.
The outspoken opposition official argued that Zimbabwe’s problems are not related to the sanctions imposed on a few political elites but on the government’s reluctance to respect the rule of law and the unbridled corruption and thuggery by those holding political office. Mawarire posted on Twitter:
I have seen a lot of messages from junta apologists in Zimbabwe calling for the removal of sanctions. The most interesting thing is the insinuation that if these targeted sanctions are removed off the necks of officials running the military regime here, immediately, Zimbabwe will be a paradise.
Folks, do you think if those sanctions are removed, Zimbabweans will be free to demonstrate without [President Emmerson Mnangagwa] & Gen Racto sending soldiers to murder them with AK47s? Do we believe if sanctions are removed, the looting of our diamonds, gold, platinum, chrome by [Mnangagwa] & his cabal will stop?
Are we foolishly optimistic that the moment sanctions are removed, electoral theft will stop? Do Zimbabweans believe after removal of sanctions, ZBC will become a truly public broadcaster & afford every Zimbabwean a voice?
Are we so gullible to believe that the day sanctions are removed, no one will ever be arrested for “undermining the authority of the president?” Do we believe, on the day sanctions are removed, if you get arrested, & you are an opposition politician, you won’t be denied bail for 40 days until some High Court judge releases you and chides the magistrate for not applying themselves on the law?
Are we sure on the day sanctions are removed, all abductions, even of university students, will cease? Tell me fellow Zimbabweans, do you believe once sanctions are removed, looting of Covid-19 funds will stop?
I would love to know, [Nick Mangwana] if the day sanctions are removed Zimbabweans will be allowed to vote for MPs & councillors of their choice without some dubious court ruling donating those seats to a politician they didn’t vote for?
Will the removal of sanctions end the violation of property rights by Zanu-PF land barons? Will the removal of sanctions stop non-government officials, who are married to those in Government, from using dubious ambassadorial designations to steal from Natpharm?
I would love to know if the removal of sanctions will end monopolies in the fuel industry? Tell me, folks, will the removal of sanctions make the President realise that it’s corrupt for him & his children to import buses, at a premium, for a State-Owned Enterprise like Zupco?
I might be naive, but help me Zimbabweans, would the removal of sanctions put a stop to government expenditure on useless things like a statue of a dead spirit medium when our hospitals are underfunded?
Will the removal of sanctions make sure provinces like Mash West, Mash Central, Mash East have even one resident gynaecologist instead of having more than 85 in Harare alone?
Will the removal of sanctions stop thieving enterprises like Command Agriculture where more than US$7bn has been looted by Idhii & his cronies?
Tell me Zimbabweans, will the removal of sanctions stop the deliberate ploy to kill Econet & it’s Ecocash money payment system in order to create space for Idhii & his Peter’s take over of Netone Data platform & mobile money platform through CBZ? I want to know, fellow Zimbabweans if the removal of sanctions will give us a pro-people leadership.
If you can demonstrate to me, that all the ills I have listed above, and many more that others are raising, will automatically go away after sanctions are lifted, then & ONLY then, will you have my voice on the issue of sanctions removal.