Parliament should craft a law that punishes people who undermine the interests of Zimbabwe through calling for illegal sanctions, traditional leaders have said. Chiefs Council President Chief Fortune Charumbira said the law should also disqualify culprits from seeking political or public office as part of measures to protect its interests and that of citizens and nip in the bud what MDC Alliance members led by Mr Tendai Biti did in the United States this week.

Messrs Biti, Nelson Chamisa and activists Dewa Mavhinga and Peter Godwin made sensational presentations before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday where they took turns to besmirch Zimbabwe. They urged the US government to maintain its ruinous sanctions regime.

“Zimbabwe should seriously consider the need for a law that punishes Zimbabweans who undermine the country’s political, economic and social interests as what we read in the media as attributed to Mr Biti,” said Chief Charumbira.

“Such people should be disqualified from contesting for political office because they would have expressly shown that their ultimate mission is to seek political office through undermining the interests of Zimbabwe.”

He said Mr Biti and his delegation had demonstrated that they were preoccupied with their selfish interests ahead of the welfare of the suffering Zimbabweans.

“They are driven by individual aggrandisement in order to get power which they want to attain at all costs even at the expense of the people. We have suffered enough. In Shona we say Nyika Vanhu, who do they want to rule in future when people would have died through these ruinous sanctions,” he said.

Another Chiefs Council member, Chief Musarurwa echoed the same sentiments saying there was need to give the new administration led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa a chance.

“If they had any grievances they should have engaged the new administration and not to go to a foreign land. Of what help is that to the cause of the people? Who they are purporting to be representing,” said Chief Musarurwa.

Zimbabweans from all walks of life, including the Government, expressed outrage at the MDC Alliance rumblings. On Wednesday, Government urged the MDC-Alliance not to give selfish political ambitions flight at the expense of the welfare of Zimbabweans who have invested their hope in President Mnangagwa to revive the economy and uplift people’s lives.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Major-General (Rtd) Dr Sibusiso Moyo said it was “staggering” that opposition politicians expect President Mnangagwa and his new administration to undo wrongs committed in 37 years in two weeks. Minister Moyo said disagreements must be resolved internally.

“Any internal disagreements should be resolved by our engaging with one another. There is no need to invite outside referees whose own fate has no relationship to ours. Let us advance our political goals without inviting punitive measures by strangers on our fellow citizen,” said Minister Moyo.-state media