By Own Correspondent| While the government is mobilising massively for the anti-sanctions march on Friday which has been endorsed by the regional blocs SADC and AU, exiled activists have berated the anti-sanctions crusade as futile.
Speaking to this publication, the exiled activists said the sanctions march is just a waste of resources by the government which is not upholding human rights and democracy.
According to activist Elvis Mugari who is currently holed up in South Africa since the January protests , the Zanu PF -led government need to implement reforms for the sanctions to be lifted.
“The US Government argues that there are only targeted persons who were put on travel embargo because of their role in perpetuating human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
“The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act (Zidera) will remain as long as the circumstances which led to its promulgation in 2001 persist and as such this anti-sanction march is a waste of resources,” said Mugari.
Recently, exiled businessman-cum-political activist Mutumwa Mawere took a jibe at the African Union for not adhering to its statues of constitutionalism by supporting Zimbabwe which is not upholding such.
“The AU is in agreement that sanctions against Zimbabwe must be lifted yet the AU Treaty compels the organization to be a custodian of constitutionalism in the affairs of its member states. ZIDERA exists because of serious allegations of the absence of the rule of law in Zim,” posted Mawere on Twitter.
A friend of exiled musician-cum-businessman Innocent Sibanda who fled this country in 2017 together with his brother Bright spoke on how the two activists are still hiding after being threatened by suspected ruling party activists yet the country wants everyone to join in the anti-sanctions march.
“Innocent and his brother had a flourishing transport company Innocent and Bright Intake and he was also a musician fronting the group Harare Afros which I was part of but they fled the country from Chipangano(Zanu PF vigilante group),so why government is calling everyone to participate in the anti-sanctions march when it can’t guarantee safety of its citizens,” said the friend who requested anonymity for security reasons.
The President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led administration is in the spotlight for a spike in human rights violations. These include the abductions of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure , Doctors Union of Zimbabwe acting president Dr Peter Magombeyi , comedienne Samantha Kureya popularly known as Gonyeti. Recently, a vendor Hilton Tafadzwa Tamangani died in custody at Harare Remand Prison following suspected police brutality .