The European Union’s announced plans to lift sanctions have been celebrated across the Zimbabwe political divide with MDC parties expressing hope that the development should pave way for free and fair elections.
Zanu PF had to date used the sanctions matter as both a tool to attack coalition partners in government and also as propaganda to garner support and tighten its grip on power.
Responding to the EU suspension of sanctions the MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, told ZimEye: “The sanctions have been removed to allow Zimbabwe to show whether it can reform. We hope Zanu PF will take this opportunity to allow peace in Zimbabwe.”
A UK based legal expert, Alex Magaisa has pointed out that the so called smart sanctions were bound to fail from the onset:
“Far from being a point of weakness, sanctions became a source of strength amongst the targeted. Notice how ZANU PF responded to calls for the implementation of the GPA with its own call for the removal of sanctions. The reluctance to remove the sanctions because an excuse for refusing to implement the GPA.
“Smart sanctions gave an excuse and opportunities for the state to intensify its grip on the citizens as the state played innocent victim and intensified measures under the auspices of protecting the country’s sovereignty….. Repressive laws like POSA were actually intensified and extended purportedly to maintain “public order and security” on the apparent claim that Zimbabwe was under siege from sanctions-imposing Western forces.”
On the other hand however, ZANU PF secretary general, Didymus Mutasa said the suspension of sanctions makes no difference to Zanu PF members in the sanction list as they have never been affected at all since the imposition.
“It makes no difference to me whatsoever,” he told The Telegraph.
“I won’t be going to London, it’s very cold and the people are very unfriendly – I would rather stay here.
“We have been telling the British for years that the people they targeted are not being adversely affected by sanctions at all. We are still receiving our salaries and the situation for us is exactly the same.
“The people who are being affected are those who benefited from the industries that could not function under sanctions. We are happy only that our people will be happier.”
The president of the other MDC faction, Welshman Ncube, said their suspension would promote a more open democracy.
While the effect of lifting of sanctions has little effect on individual Zanu PF officials, it is widely believed that it effectively disarms Zanu PF who have largely depended on them (sanctions) as an excuse to attack both MDC parties. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)
52 Replies to “Politicians celebrate as EU announces lifting Mugabe sanctions”
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@Nehondo if you dont know the problems we had before 2000 then you are either a 10 year old or you suffer from dementia/alzheimer…of which in either case i will be insulting myself if i argue with you further. And as intelligent as i am it still doesnt require one to be intelligent to know the pre-2000 problems.
Congrats to His Exellence the Honourable Cde RG Mugabe. U hv showed us that we dont need EU for they r not special. Dont give them our land & minerals.
In the 90s, we had drought and an economic programme imposed on us by the World Bank and IMF called the Economic Structural Adjustment Program (ESAP or known as SAPs). This program devastated many economies throughout the world and His Highness Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe abandoned this program after a few years because he saw it wasn’t working. That’s why we had some trouble in the 90s but life was f**king good and Zimbabwe did rapidly develop during those tough times.
In the late 90s early 2000, we had Land Reform. Yes, it disrupted our economy but it WAS DAMN NECESSARY!!!!
In the early 2000s, Tsvangirai, whites and fellow homosexuals called for isolation (which means sanctions) and Teaboy even went as far as introducing a ‘Name and Shame campaign’.. This campaign’s main aim was to identify foreign companies that continued to operate in Zimbabwe and then call for an international product boycott of the companies’ products..
Biti talked of an impending “genocide worse than seen in Rwanda”. He even said “dead bodies will litter the streets of Zimbabwe”. Chamisa even called for the “closure of Zimbabwean borders and then bomb Zimbabwe from the air”. Upon hearing all this, it really did look like war was coming to Zimbabwe so investors NATURALLY took flight.
MDC wanted war in Zimbabwe and the west wanted it but African leaders were against the idea.
Anyway, ZIDERA came..and Senator Ryan Chester Crocker said the following at the introduction of the bill, “to seperate the people of Zimbabwe from the ZANU PF, we have to make their economy scream. Senators, i hope you have the stomach for what you’re about to do”. ZIDERA came and our lives in Zimbabwe drastically changed! US and British intelligence regularly sabotaged our oil supplies at sea. Our communications satelite was also sabotaged by the British. Our economy was pretty much ‘owned’ by the US and Britain so when they shut down their companies, Zimbabwe suffered. Zimbabwe could not trade with anyone in the west and financial sanctions ensured that there won’t be any money coming in or going out. Britain encouraged MDC supporters to seek asylum in UK in an attempt to mount a strong and ‘credible’ case for military intervention at the UN Security Council meetings. ZIDERA targeted everyone from the CEOs of ZINWA, ZESA, ZISCO, GMB, head of immigration and his assistants, CEO of Air Zimbabwe, CEO of ZUPCO, CEO of NRZ, CEO of NOCZIM right down to individuals who supported ZANU in US & UK etc etc. Hostile media outlets like SW Radio and Voice Of America were sponsored by anti ZANU NGOs.. I could go on.
In short, Only God knows how Mugabe survived through all this. The man really is a special individual and i do feel that he is a gift unto us from God. Yes, he has made mistakes but his positives far outweigh the negatives. That said, i do believe that Mugabe is surrounded by a few evil individuals who sometimes or regularly feed him with incorrect info. But that won’t stop my love for Mugabe and the mighty ZANU.
Anyway, this act of lifting sanctions is a sign that Mugabe has defeated whites at their own game.. But the game hasn’t been won yet, ZIDERA still stands and victory against that would ensure the legacy of the Great King Mugabe.
Icho!
Greyhoria let me put u bek 2 trek. My point was ,we ddnt hve sunctions, hardships b4 2000,its only after when land reform started. The only time we had q’s was 4 millie meal in 93 when we had draught 92. There was never load shedding unles waigara kumusha tht u cudnt tel the dffrnce.
Lyk l said our farm workers can afford luxuries lyk satelite and exp 4ns. Am proud 2 say its a sign of prosperity 2 them coz during yo white boy era all they worked 4 was food (chikwereti) and come out wth nothin month end. Only ‘manager’ cud afford plastic watch nd pples radio.
We dnt care if in SA they get them 4 free, here in Zim we buy and we are buyin.
What cozd and who cozd essap, Mugabe? Find out and keep the answer 2 yoself coz l dnt want u 2 embarass yoself.
I see u now envy my farm workers lyf style coz kako kamari kanopera ne kombi,u can come l can pay u btter at my farm.
Economic sunctions have killed us nt targeted (political) dnt b tht foolish 2 defend white boy iwe mtengesi.
This is the beginning of the end Mr Editor, I can foresee a tyranny falling on the wall with a big thud just like the infamous Humpty Dumpty of yester year, check my words. All along Zanu PF was in-did pointing an accusing finger on everyone including our dear grandmumies in the the rural areas for their failures. Now that the EU want sanctions removed let us wait and see their new campaigning moto. Kasukuwere should shut-up for agitating the infamous empowerment grill against Zimbabweans. Whom does he represent? Chupeti!!!
What an idiot Nehondog… You forget load shedding, Esap, War vet gratuities that crashed the dollar, endless q’s for basics.. Then the land grab just collapsedd the whole economy. Those satelites dishes and expensive phones. Who buys them? It’s the diaspora idiot… And having a sattelite dish is a sign of prosperity? They are actually being given out for free in Mzansi you fool!
Oh my God, here is another idiot,brain washed fool. B.G.D Nyikayaramba tell me 1 problem we had b4 2000 mr intelligent?
@Nehondo shut up you imbecile, just as your comments lack facts they also lack intelligence, our problems started way before 2OOO and the land grabs were just symptoms of the underlying problems.
Greyhoria have u ever asked yoself why all our problems started yr2000? I want mentaly colonised pple like u, Charles Ray and Tsvangirai 2 knw that all this z becoz we tuk our LAND back not invade. No farm worker was driven off except thoz who were fighting 4 the white boy. They nw live a btter life than b4 wth 80% of house holds can afford a satelite, even more expensive phones than yoz and we talkin of luxuries here! No African or 3rd world country can have btter economy when therez no loans and lines of credit even S.A. Isnt the USA want loans from China, what is that? I’ve tried 2 make u see that u r beta than white boy but pple like u Obama think otherwise, SORRY.
@Bla Dog are you an advocate also? As is being claimed now by your gayfriend Chigaydziso.
Sanctions or not , we still call the shots although the lifting comes wth gay & lesbian legalization…. leaves pple no choice bt to accept a better life for all….
What is Gay Miki saying today again?
Happy ZIDERA!
Shut up Gaygodzva, Chit bhirigodzvadog. Stinking
zanu pf should refrain from calling themselves the peoples party, unless of course the word people is redefined to mean cio gangsters and chipangano burglers
Double standards ….sanctions not effective….Blair keep your England I keep my Zimbabwe. Why celebrate now. It simply means desparation to go shop and abuse monies that were stashed away in European banks. Bloody Zanu PF vampires. Anything that give them access to abuse national resources God help Zimbabwe now all foreign currency will be squandered by that woman with loose morals residing at State House.
Poor zanu muppets pleased by lifting of targeted sanctions not knwing or discerning that a miserable fate of anguish and suffering is coming.
Typical Nehondog using Bla Dog’s logic and rectum to think! Are you insinuating the EU foreign policy is dictated by Hon. Tsvangirai?
The electricity shortages we have been experiencing since 1990 are a result of sanctions or Tsvangirai?
When you savages went on a rampage invading commercial farms, selling off assets and driving off farm workers, did you not realise that you would create food shortages, cash shortages, and economic sabotage that you now want to blame on “sanctions”.
You want lines of credit open 24/7 because you have destroyed your own ability to generate income? Pathetic fool.
Because of Robert Gay Mugay and his pack of dogs of which you are included, Zim is now a pariah state, go to the root of the problem, not the symptoms. This is what I always say about you dogs, you never want to admit that you messed up always blaming someone for your own fcuk ups. Now that the sanctions will be gone, will you still blame the MDC or Tsvangirai for your failures? Kutu iyi Nehondog…
I was still in Zimbabwe and those infamous statements by Chematama at Rufaro Stadium are still vivid in our minds, thanks Cde Miki, for reminding these MDC sellouts who seem to have a short memory.
1 fool Greyhoria stil want 2 call them targeted yet EU did nt even use that word. When yo Tsvangay asked 4 them he said cut electricity ,food supply, transport and comm, loans and lines of credit thts what EU did nt travel ban. Hw many times has H.E Mugabe and othr ministers been 2 USA and europe? U think Dydmus angaonde nekutadza kuenda ku Europe u fool? Hats off Tsvangirai who made pple like u who use stomach 2 think suffer. Manyoka emunhu Greyhoria.
1 fool Greyhoria stil want 2 call them targeted yet EU did nt even use that word. When yo Tsvangay asked 4 them he said cut electricity ,food supply, transport and comm, loans and lines of credit thts what EU did nt travel ban. Hw many times has H.E Mugabe and othr ministers been 2 USA and europe? U think Dydmus angaonde nekutadza kuenda ku Europe u fool? Hates off Tsvangirai who made pple like u who use stomach 2 think suffer. Manyoka emunhu Greyhoria.
Once again, l congratulate you all Zimbabweans on the occasion of having the evil and illegal EU sanctions removed. Contrary to what the mdc morons are claiming that the people’s party used sanctions as a campaign tool, it is actually the same mdc dogs who have benefited on sanctions. In 2000, Tsvangirai openly said and l quote, “……we will tell SA and other countries to cut electricity supplies to Zimbabwe. All Western countries operating businesses here will be encouraged to close. We are saying lets isolate Zimbabwe, lets have a trade embargo impossed on this Mugabe regime until meaningful change comes…..murikuti munenzara? Hamusati! Muchashayisisa! That way, if all foreign owned companies closes, if there is no electricity, shortage of foreign currency, if everything gets to a standstill and everyone going hungry, thats when you will realise the need for change…..what we are telling Mugabe is that please GO peacefully or we will remove you violently…” he said. Thus, all the decline caused by sanctions was blamed on President Mugabe as having failed and they got the votes in 2008 for “looking nice”. You will surely see a turnaround if ZIDERA is scrapped as well but for now, Zanu Pf and the People of Zimbabwe have won.
This is sweet music to right-thinking Zimbabweans. Thank you MDC for acknowledging that sanctions were real and an impediment to economic development. Thank you ZANU PF for the “1 million signatures”. Thank you EU for choosing to be human. Now is the time for a new Zimbabwe, a new phase of development. Only Mavambo can make you happy again, with Zimbabwe working again. Viva President Makoni! Can we now ring-fence the conditions for free and fair elections and go for it…
There were no sanctions between 1990 an2000,but what did we have in Zimbabwe? Long ques for sugar ,long ques for fuel,long ques for mielie meal ,no water, no electricity,no government.Saka chachinja chii ipapa?
Hapana.Sam donkeis and thieves.
These MDC fools call for the removal of sanctions by the day yet by night they plead with the west not to remove them.
The VP mujuru said some very old failures are giving sanctions as An exuce. Wamwe imbavha dzirikungohwanda Nema sanctions. Wana dydmas mutasa have never paid zesa ever since he was appointed a minister and the last payed to zesa from his frm was paid by the former white owner. Imbwa dzewanhu!
The decision is yet to be reached, the european union organ on this issue will meet on the 23rd of this month to decide. The only sanctions we need to uplift are sanctions imposed by this party of the occult on the people of zimbabwe, a party deviod of progressive ideas and full of stagnated and obsolete ideologies which serve no purpose for the upliftment on the common country men and women. A party that is fully entrenched in the myopic idea that they own the people and this country due to their contribution towards its emancipation from colonial rule.
This is purely a well calucalated honeytrap which is the final nail to the vampiric zanoid coffin. No more excuses to implement the agreed reforms and no more holding the country at ransom.
I want to see what exactly the difference will be except that looters can now visit every European capital, village, city bar or hospital as they used to do. As to whether there will be improvements in investments to return the economy to where it was let us wait and see.
People of Zimbabwe must be quite mhen shut up!! Let’s give dis oportunity to Jehovha mheni makabvira riini kupopotana.
KANA TIRI MAZIMBABWEANS CHAIWO CHAIWO,TINOFANIRA KUFARIRA CHIRONGWA ICHI.MBAVHA,MHONDI,PFAMBI PAMWE NECHIKURUKU ZVANGA ZVAWEDZERA MUNYIKA MEDU,ZVAKONZERWA NEKURASIKIRWA PAMWE NEKUSHAYA MABASA.HATS OFF 4 EU,4 BETTER DEVELOPMENT,ZVIMWE TINGANGOWANAWO MABASA.
few industries will wake up if they are ready to do so but then again ours is an agriculture-based economy nekugona kurima sora kwatirikuita chinyi chinochinja,I WONDER.Vangani varikuziva kuti kunze kuno kune recession yatambudza pasi rose kusara kweZIMBABWE SAKA KUROTA NEKUPURURUDZA zvenhando ngakuitirwe mukadende.
these sanctions were never targeted,they were imposed on th whole of zim and its very unfortunate that some rogue elements in society dnt realise it..industries were shut dwn,imf wsnt gvng out funds,do u thnk al ths ws being targeted at certain individuals-hell no ths ws to mke th man on th street jobless thus making th shouts for regime change intensify…wen i talk abt zim,i tok of a zim that embraces all,zanu pf,nagg,mdc e.t.c.theres a difference btwn field and office politics.
I read all your comments and realized that so many people are crazy lunatics with exaggerated egos especially Marigamombe and Bla Miki. Sanctions or no sanctions, the end of Zanu is looming. The era of tyrant and authoritarianism is gone and over. Whichever way you might take it, the murders and oppressors are going to fall. Evidence of this is scattered all over the world. Eventually Zanu will fall. Sometime ago, someone in Libya thought he was God, hahahahahahaha,
A pyric victory for zanu muppet dunderheads who are so dull that they do not understand that in terms of electoral issues it will not overwhelm Zimbabweans perception of them as failures, criminals and terrorists that need to be voted out to save the country.
dis is good news to all zimbabweans regardless of their political affiliations. ahoy zimbabwe. United we stand dvded we fall. Ahoy zimbos
not so bad,EU must understand one thing that we are naturally reach so they were running a race which was won already.Congrats to Mugabe and the whole of ZIMBABWE.
Gud news for Grace the shopperholic n bad news for Makaranga,Zezuru,Manica n Makwerekwere(makorekore) refugees they will be deported from Europe
Hate it or like it the party of excellence capitalized more with those sanctions during 2008 elections n thus y zanu pf lost,whateva mudhidimus is saying its a lie coz his daughter as*nut is enjoying London breeze and quality education from the unfriendly
After reading the article i have realised tht they are 3 outstanding fools in it-the author of the article, the ever confused Mdc bonyonzworwa and one cheap politician ncube.for starters the author tries to twist our minds tht the people’s part is doomed coz sanctions has been removed.without worsting much of my words your illusioned view of wat constitute politics is not only very stupid but also shows how a failure yu are as evidenced by your inability to show the most basic journalistic principles.However to show how stupid this all is yu did a good job to show political naivety of one dhagi who have uncontolled hunger to comment on anything tht comes along his way without giving much thot in his suppossed view.yu see Zanu pf as the patriotic front considers the removal of the illegal economic sanctions as victory for our people.it was an imperialists tool to turn our people against their trusted leaders contrary to wat a few unpatriotic individuals want to believe.Yu see its not even surprising tht a “presidential” hopeful like ncube is even not sure whether sanctions has been removed or not but nevertheless goes on giving boldly a scant pathetic comment tht leaves one scratching their heads.we welcome the removal of sanctions cde and this goes to show tht our 1million signed petition was a success.now the tsvangirais and ncubes have no much backbone to lean on,they will still have to wait to capitalise on our mistakes of which its expected of them coz they no idea which they can claim to hold on to.stupid muppets them mdcs.nxah
Iyi ndoilavha. Ahoy maZimba ahoy!
Let’s wait and see asi mwari pindirai. We don’t want violence in Zimbabwe!
Yes Yes Yes ma MDC murivatengesi u agree today that sacunctions were the affecting ordinary pple .hamunyari pasi nevatengesi. icho!
Infact, this is a stellar chessmaster move by the EU and MDC. So now that sanctions have been removed, Zanu PF dogs should comply with fulfillment of all GPA clauses, quit the stupid delaying manoeuvres in the new constitution drafting and shut up about the so-called “sanctions” at SADC forums, now they cannot blame “sanctions” for poor diamond sales etc etc…
apa marohwa but because Bla Dog, Nehondog, Kupisadog, ChigwadziSOB, Chimata and all foolish Gay Mugay bootlickers are typical Zanu PF dunderheads, it will take weeks for them to see the abvious…
If the targeted sanctions did not affect Zanu PF that much, then why did they make so much noise? Surely you cannot tell me it’s because they cared about anybody?
Now you see Bla Dog in the first comment actually admitting that they were actually targeted travel sanctions, that is what hurt them most; they couln’t travel! It was never a blanket embargo. So because they couln’t travel they vented their fury at innocent citizens.
Now there will be no excuses, Zanu PF fooled many with your pathetic “sanctions” excuse, what excuse will you have for your failures now? Bla Dog even says it’s a slap in the face of the MDC when the same has been in the forefront of calling for their removal, thinking like a dog on heat.
But they miss the point, the only reason MDC advocated for the removal of targeted, let me reiterate, targeted sanctions was not because they suddenly like these Zanu PF murderers, looters and political failures… it was because they wanted to remove the only card Zanu PF has left to play… sanctions!!
sanctions have been a stumbling block to proper dialogue. they must have been scrapped the very day the gnu took office
we still have zidera..EU sanctions hve been nt of much impact but ths animalic and draconian american bill is the real issue..has it been removed?????
People really think sanctions will make ZANU PF positively react and change its hostile policies & attitude & create a free & fair atmosphere for their eventually demise are DREAMING..DAY DREAMING AT NIGHT.ZPF has never been interested in letting power go or giving the opposition such an opprtunity…they have never done that prior to sanctions , never did it with sanctions and will definately NOT DO IT after their removal. One thing is certain – another trick brought up last minute will be used to thwart the peoples choice. The MDC’s need to be pro-active & pre-empt, grab initiative to put ZPF on its back-foot not wait for another trick once again. FOREWARNED IS FORE-ARMED….ZANU-PF WILL NOT BE DEFEATED USING FAIR MEANS, THEY HAVE TOO MUCH TO LOSE TO DO THAT.
lifting of sanctions will create jobs for the rest of poor Zimbabweans Those at the top are getting there salaries Factories are clossed because of sanctions
thank you E.U for making this brave decision.i know call upon the GPA leaders to make necessary reforms that were pending.now that the sanctions are going to be removed vachawhanda nei vanhu .
Dawn of the new era…..
I would like to know the next zanu pf campaign tool or slogan. Implement all GPA outstanding issues with no excuses. Thank you.lets finish it!
Oh no no no comrades, these European bastards have smartly disarmed us. We have to come up with other excuses now that ‘sanctions’ are gone. Manje toti chii? Can someone put down a list of excuses please, this is an urgent matter with the elections looming.
We don’t really care about going to a frozen land, England, a cursed land full of homosexuals. However, this is an outright victory for Zanu Pf and all the people of Zimbabwe and a slap in the faces of traitors, the MDC. The EU must also encourage the mdc to desist from spreading lies to the World and start treating Zimbabwe as a sovereign country. Wanyara Tsvangay, bhirigaydog, Mukadog, Makwembegay, Gaydog and partly Jumpdog! Idiots!