Britain to discuss Zimbabwe sanctions today

The British Parliament is today expected to discuss a motion to approve a statutory instrument relating to the Zimbabwe sanctions.

Britain is planning to leave the European Union which imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe 17 years ago but has gradually lifted them leaving only two person former President Robert Mugabe and his wife and the Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

The EU maintains an arms embargo on Zimbabwe and has suspended sanctions on former security services chiefs, Constantino Chiwenga and Perrance Shiri who are now in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Britain initially approved Mnangagwa’s rise to power but seems to have changed its mind following the 1 August violence and the military clampdown following the January 2019 riots over price increases.

It is now fighting to isolate Zimbabwe and intends to oppose Zimbabwe’s membership to the Commonwealth.

Reports say the British supported Mnangagwa because they believed that he provided stability while opposition leader Nelson Chamisa did not.

Zimbabwe is also under United States sanctions which have been on for the past 16 years though there are increasing calls, including from the right-wing Cato Institute, to have the sanctions removed because they are now being used as an excuse for poor leadership and economic management by Zimbabwe’s administrators.

There has also been an increase in the number of Zimbabweans calling for sanctions to be lifted because they argue they affect ordinary Zimbabweans and not just the designated politicians as the US claims.

An anti-sanctions coalition- the Coalition Against Sanction is expected to be launched in Harare today.

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