Bikita South MP, Energy Mutodi (ZANU PF) has moved a motion asking Parliament to send a team of parliamentarians to the United States of America to request Congress to remove sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe over two decades ago.
The United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe through the enactment of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) back in 2001 alleging rampant rights abuses and poll fraud under late former President Robert Mugabe’s government.
The measures were imposed after the Mugabe administration embarked on a controversial land reform programme characterised by violence targeted at white farmers.
The sanctions include a travel ban on targeted Zimbabwean authorities, among them security chiefs, businessman Kuda Tagwirei and former State Security Minister Owen Ncube, coupled with a trade embargo between US and local firms.
As reported by ZimLive, Mutodi said a high-powered delegation comprising legislators would put weight behind the call for sanctions removal.
Mutodi made the call while supporting his motion in parliament on Thursday last week. He said:
Now, therefore, resolves that a delegation from Zimbabwe Parliament be sent to the United States of America to present a briefing paper to the President of the United States of America and Congress requesting their administration to expeditiously and unconditionally repeal ZIDERA which has caused so much suffering to ordinary citizens of our country;
The delegation engages the United States of America Congress to lift the unwarranted and illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe; Zimbabwe presents its case to the United Nations by the end of December 2024 so that these illegal sanctions imposed on our country are unconditionally lifted once and for all; and The United States of America Government to engage with the Zimbabwean government on terms that promote mutual benefit through economic and political cooperation, put and agreed to.
I have no doubt that the presence of the high-powered delegation from the Parliament of Zimbabwe will be of great impact as it will allow the inauguration or commencement of effective engagement between the Parliament of Zimbabwe and Congress.
The ZANU PF-led Government continues to blame the country’s economic challenges on sanctions imposed by the US and its European allies.
The Government claim the sanctions have caused Zimbabwe over US$100 billion in terms of economic losses since they were imposed.
More: Pindula News