EU Lifts sanctions on Zimbabwe Defence Industries, renews other sanctions until 20 February 2026

The European Union has lifted sanctions on the remaining entity, the Zimbabwe Defence industries, a state-owned arms manufacturing and procurement company which is now a pale shadow of itself because of the economic decline of the country.

It has, however, maintained an arms embargo on Zimbabwe until 20 February 2026

because of the country’s human rights situation. The embargo is on “arms and equipment which might be used for internal repression”.

Zimbabwe is still under United States sanctions. The Biden Administration said in March last year that it had lifted all sanctions on the country but had introduced what it termed the Global Magnitsky Human Rights sanctions.

These sanctions applied to President Emmerson Mnangagwa because of his “corrupt activities, in particular those relating to gold and diamond smuggling networks”. 

The sanctions were also applied on the First Lady, Auxilia Mnangagwa for facilitating her husband’s corrupt activities.  

Businessman Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei was slapped with sanctions “for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of the Government of Zimbabwe”.

His wife Sandra Mpunga was sanctioned for being instrumental in Tagwirei’s business activities.

Their company, Sakunda Holdings was placed on sanctions for facilitating state corruption. According to Biden, Sakunda had “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of corruption, and for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of Tagwirei.”

Other companies and individuals placed under sanctions were:

• Fossil Agro is a subsidiary of Sakunda Holdings.
• Obey Chimuka, the director of Fossil Agro and longtime business partner of Tagwirei.
• Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga for “the violent repression of political activists and civil society organizations”.
• Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri “for overseeing Zimbabwe’s Defense Forces” and their violent repression.
• Godwin Matanga the former police chief.
• Stephen Mutamba who just took over from Matanga as police chief.
• Walter Tapfumaney,i the Deputy Director General of Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organization, and
• Owen Ncube, Provincial Affairs Minister for the Midlands Province.

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