MDC Alliance vice president Tendai Biti said the International Monetary Fund snubbed Zimbabwe from the debt relief provided to 20 African countries because of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’ failure to reform and stealing of elections.

On Tuesday, the IMF board approved immediate debt relief for 25 countries, 20 of them African nations but Zimbabwe was excluded.

“20 African countries obtain debt relief and Zimbabwe is conspicuously absent. The reason is political illegitimacy, fascism and disrespect of the rule of law. Reason is corruption and rent seeking behavior,cartels and Sakunda. Reason is failure to reform and stealing elections,” said Biti.

Countries that will receive debt service relief include Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, D.R., The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo, and Yemen.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This provides grants to our poorest and most vulnerable members to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency medical and other relief efforts,” she said.