United States sanctions review: Tactical withdrawal or sinister agenda

Dr Obert Moses Mpofu

WHEN you have nothing useful to say, it is advisable to keep one’s mouth shut.

Words that come from one’s mouth often expose their foolishness.

There is a lot to make out of the United States’ so-called revision of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

All along, the narrative had been that these sanctions were targeted. But last week’s policy announcements suggest otherwise.

Is it an admission of guilt?

This time around, the Americans have been caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

The recent announcements on sanctions spoke to a lot of things that had been hidden for long. Was it too embarrassing to entirely scrap the sanctions altogether?

Knowing the Americans and their pride, they would never admit they were wrong.

Revision of the sanctions appears to be a furtive way of trying to do business with Zimbabwe once more.

Zimbabwe is of strategic importance, not only to US interests, but also to the rest of the world. We are a unique country full of mineral riches like gold, lithium, natural gas, platinum and diamonds.

Could it be the newly found gas and oil deposits in Muzarabani that have had the Americans second-guessing themselves and trying to associate with Zimbabwe?

We all know their thirst and appetite for the black precious liquid. After all, they have invaded and destroyed nations over it.

Not even sanctions could dim the light that this beautiful land shines.

The world is changing. America risks being left behind if it continues in its archaic ways.

The world is turning towards the East and the South. Russia is surely giving the Americans a good run for their money — and so are the Chinese.

The weapons of choice in the form of sanctions and invasions are no longer effective.

We have all grown resilient to this virus that had been weaponised by the Americans.

The world is not afraid of two-faced bullies anymore.

There have indeed been some interesting perspectives about this recent and most predictable move by the US. Plenty of perspectives indeed, but no real change.

One of the key questions is: How much of this act truly represents a shift in policy?

How much of the burden and effects of sanctions have truly been removed from Zimbabwe when the Head of State and Government, the First Lady, Vice President, several high-ranking officials and top businesspeople are still sanctioned?

It seems the Americans have not repented from their regime change agenda. They have made it even more abundantly clear now with their latest pronouncements.

The gesture by the US is a slap in the face and an insult to our leadership. There should be total and unconditional removal of all sanctions imposed on our country and its leadership.

The sanctions are an anomaly and should never have been there in the first place. They are misdirected and misplaced.

America’s act of revising these sanctions is equally inadequate. If we are to engage and be on an equal footing, then the sanctions should be fully done away with.

They serve no real purpose other than making the people of Zimbabwe suffer.

We should be grateful that our Government has been able to build resilience during this most difficult of times and our people have not perished as a result of these coercive measures.

Are the intentions of the Americans truly genuine or this is just a ruse to hoodwink the public amid increasing international criticism of the US’ foreign policy?

The executive order signed by Joe Biden on March 4, 2024 on the “Termination of Emergency with Respect to the Situation in Zimbabwe” does nothing to alleviate the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans.

It just shows how their sanctions have morphed and taken on a new face, shape, form and size.

Zimbabwe and its leadership have been constantly abused, pillaged and violated by America’s big brother approach.

Our leader, President Mnangagwa, is the chief representative of this nation and for as long as there is a target on his head, then there is a target on all of us.

The actions by America are deplorable.

To shamelessly claim that the sanctions are being removed/revised is grossly criminal, to say the least. You cannot separate a nation and its leader. To impose sanctions on a nation’s leadership is to impose sanctions on an entire people. These illegal sanctions will indeed fail, like what has happened with the previous set of restrictions.

The international criminal that is America will indeed always behave in a despicable manner.

Until the Americans want to genuinely remove this blatant illegality that has subjected our nation to enormous suffering for decades, I suggest they keep quiet and not talk about Zimbabwe anymore. America’s intentions on Zimbabwe remain malicious. Therefore, as has been the case, there is nothing new here.

Zimbabwe will forge ahead, charting its path to prosperity under the capable leadership of President Mnangagwa, with or without the sanctions.

 Dr Obert Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of ZANU PF. He writes in his personal capacity.