- US sanctions Zimbabwe President, officials
- Targets corruption, human rights abuses
- Some previous sanctions lifted
Prominent government officials, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, his spouse, and others, have been sanctioned by the United States on charges of corruption and human rights violations.
Following a review of the sanctions programme that had been in effect since 2003, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury announced the sanctions, which targeted eleven individuals and three companies, including the Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, and retired Brigadier-General Walter Tapfumaneyi.
Except for those enumerated on Monday, sanctions against Zimbabweans previously imposed by the United States will be lifted.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated, “The modifications we are implementing today are to put into effect what has always been the case: our sanctions do not target the Zimbabwean people.”
“We are realigning our sanctions against President Mnangagwa’s criminal network of government officials and businesspeople, who bear the primary responsibility for corruption and human rights violations against the Zimbabwean people,” he stated.
Mnangagwa is charged with directing government officials to facilitate the sale of gold and diamonds in illicit markets and accepting bribes in exchange for his services, in addition to safeguarding gold and diamond smugglers operating within Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s government utilised smuggling groups to sell gold worth hundreds of millions of dollars, thereby mitigating the effects of sanctions. Gold is the largest export of the nation.
The new sanctions are part of a “stronger, more targeted sanctions policy” against Zimbabwe, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also expressed concern over “serious cases of corruption and human rights abuse.”
Blinken said in a statement, “Key individuals, including members of the Zimbabwean government, are accountable for these actions, which include the looting of government coffers that deprive Zimbabweans of public resources.”
A multitude of incidents involving abductions, physical abuse, and unlawful killings have instilled a sense of dread among the populace.
“This is enormous!”
Prior sanctions were enforced in response to a campaign of forcible land appropriation from European farmers.
The Zimbabwean government applauded the elimination of those measures.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana wrote on X, “Well, this is enormous,” describing it as “a tremendous vindication” of Mnangagwa’s foreign policy.
“Therefore, we are all subject to sanctions so long as our president is subject to sanctions; Zimbabwe remains under illegal sanctions so long as members of the First Family are subject to sanctions; and senior leadership is subject to sanctions.”
In response, Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the State Department, joked, “It is uncommon for a government to declare that sanctions against the incumbent president constitute a triumph for the government.”
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President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, which is adjacent to Zimbabwe, commended Joe Biden of the United States for terminating the 2003 programme.
“This provides additional proof that Vice President Biden is receptive to his African allies. Hichilema wrote on X, “We hope this presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to move in a new direction and increase its regional engagement.”
Mnangagwa, whose political party has been in power for over four decades, was proclaimed the victor in elections held last August, which were criticised by international observers for failing to meet democratic criteria.
In 2017, Mnangagwa removed an ailing Robert Mugabe from the government. Two years later, at the age of 95, Mugabe passed away.
