MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has admitted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Europe and America since 2001 were undesirable but quickly said the embargo constituted twin evils with Zanu PF which should both be consigned to the dust bin.<\/p>\n
He was addressing party supporters at a \u2018thank you\u2019 rally in Chiredzi weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cZanu PF and sanctions must go because they are twins, they walk together,\u201d said the opposition leader.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see sanctions, you see Zanu PF; when you see Zanu PF, you see sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have said we don\u2019t want sanctions on our country, but sanctions can only go if we remove Zanu PF, because Zanu PF is the one that invited sanctions in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The opposition leader\u2019s sentiments towards measures deliberately imposed on the Zanu PF led administration on alleged rights abuses and poll fraud, could be an attempt to flip the long held narrative that MDC was complicit in the imposition of sanctions by its former western allies.<\/p>\n
Zanu PF has blamed nearly all the country\u2019s economic troubles on sanctions.<\/p>\n
In his Sunday address, Chamisa said any western re-engagement with the Zanu PF led government should be premised on how far the Harare regime has gone in its reform agenda, key among them the observance of human rights.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told those in America, yes we want to see normalisation of relations but mark us, judge us on our reform agenda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I say Mnangagwa let\u2019s go for reforms, he says \u2018no reform\u2019, let\u2019s go for economic reforms, \u2018no reforms, because there are sanctions\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chamisa said the MDC has demonstrated that sanctions were not even a hindrance to economic prosperity in the troubled country which witnessed a positive spell when the main opposition formed the now defunct coalition administration with Zanu PF 2009-13.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven when America had not changed its position on restrictive measures on Zanu PF, we changed the economy of this country during the GNU era together with the late Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC and ex-Prime Minister) even when the ruling party was under sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou enjoyed good life during the GNU era, dollar-for-two was introduced by Tsvangirai and what has changed now.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us it doesn\u2019t matter whether there are restrictive measures or not. When you have good economic policies, things do change for the better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With the active participation of MDC in the inclusive government, Chamisa said, the country\u2019s inflation was kept at a low.<\/p>\n
Chamisa said former President Robert Mugabe displayed better dexterity in handling the economy compared to his successor.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at the country\u2019s debts, Mugabe used to borrow but he had limits; but with Mnangagwa, that\u2019s too much and I told him \u2018it is that neck scarf that influences you\u2019.<\/p>\n
The MDC leader also slammed government\u2019s controversial austerity measures introduced by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube last year, saying this was equal to robbing the poor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has admitted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Europe and America since 2001 were undesirable but quickly said the embargo constituted twin evils with Zanu PF which should both be consigned to the dust bin. He was addressing party supporters at a \u2018thank you\u2019 rally in Chiredzi weekend. \u201cZanu PF and sanctions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,10],"tags":[38,113,88,31],"class_list":{"0":"post-9141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-parties","10":"tag-zanu-pf","11":"tag-chamisa","12":"tag-mdc","13":"tag-mnangagwa"},"yoast_head":"\n