THE MDC Alliance should stop tarnishing the image of the country and call for the removal of sanctions if they love Zimbabwe and have the people’s interest at heart, Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs Victor Matemadanda has said.

Speaking during a meeting with war veterans in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Matemadanda said the country was under siege due to misdirected energy by opposition parties and their allies.

“Anyone who loves Zimbabwe should call for the removal of sanctions that were imposed on the country. We all know that our economic situation is not good but let’s give the country a chance to develop economically.

“MDC people are travelling all over the world calling for the extension of sanctions while people who liberated this country are languishing in poverty due to these illegal sanctions. They don’t care,” said Matemadanda.

He said when they go to Parliament opposition legislators ask him what the Government is doing to improve the welfare of war veterans yet they know there’s nothing that can be done because they called for sanctions.

“If the MDC is sincere and wants people to be empowered and free from poverty they should ask Britain and America to remove sanctions now. These sanctions are making the ordinary people suffer.

“The MDC is not fighting the President but the ordinary people in this country. It’s sad that countries such as the USA are supporting the MDC in destroying the country. Even former President Robert Mugabe is funding this nonsense and it’s unfair to the people,” said Matemadanda.State media