MIDRAND, South Africa – The Pan African Parliament yesterday unanimously called for the unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions unilaterally imposed on Zimbabwe by the West.
PAP legislators adopted the motion which calls for the West to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe, with MPs equating the embargo as not only a form of colonialism, but a serious infringement on human rights, especially those of women and children.
Parliamentarians during a heated debate said the embargo was now even more irrelevant considering that President Mnangagwa’s administration had opened a new chapter and shown readiness to constructively engage and re-engage with the rest of the world.
There was agreement amongst MPs who were sitting in the PAP chamber during the ongoing First Ordinary Session of the 6th parliament at the continental legislative body’s seat in Midrand that sanctions on Zimbabwe were an affront to the country’s pursuit for social,economic and political freedoms and violated the United Nations charter.
One of the MPs backing the motion in the chamber before its adoption by the House, Dr Mathole Motshekga from South Africa, even showed the sensitivity of the unjustified sanctions against Zimbabwe by threatening to push for the nationalisation of European and American businesses and property for the unbridled interference in the affairs of Africa.
The South African MP received thunderous applause from the House after openly accusing the West of wanting to treat Africa as its colony, saying sanctions on Zimbabwe were behind xenophobic bouts choking some countries within the Sadc region.
“The sanctions are a crime against the people of Zimbabwe, particularly women and children.
“These sanctions are also creating xenophobia between Zimbabweans and South Africans and also other neighbouring countries and this matter I suggest falls under the jurisdiction of the UN.”
“The campaign must be escalated there because these colonialists have no power, we should solve our own problems,’’ said Dr Motshekga.
‘’The AU and Sadc can solve these matters and not Europeans. We don’t need them here otherwise we might consider nationalising all their properties an businesses in Africa if they are going to continue interfering with our lives.’’
This was after Gambian legislator Mr Alhaji Mbow, who was seconded by Zimbabwean legislator Cde Stars Mathe, had moved a motion calling for the immediate lifting of unilateral sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the US, UK and the EU.
He said the “economic, financial and trade sanctions unilaterally imposed on Zimbabwe by the US, UK and EU since 2002 have grave repercussions not only on the country’s economy and the fundamental right of the Zimbabwean people, but the entire SADC region which continues to reel from the catastrophic effect on these sanctions.’’
Mr Mbow in moving his motion for adoption noted that the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2015, which unanimously adopted Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, emphasised among other things the “absolute rejection of the unilateral coercive measures by the international community.’’
Sanctions against Zimbabwe also affected women and youths more, a move Mr Mbow said had a severe impact on Africa’s quest to meet Agenda 2063 goals and priority areas.
PAP, according to Mr Mbow also supported a resolution of Sadc Heads of State and Government which demand immediate lifting of sanctions against the Government of Zimbabwe and its people by the US and EU.
Mr Mbow lamented that the sanctions were not only hitting Zimbabwe hard but the entire Sadc region via contagion.
‘’Acknowledging that the Government of Zimbabwe under President Mnangagwa has opened a new chapter and is ready to constructively engage with the rest of the world,the current unilateral sanctions by the US, Britain and the EU are unnecessary and they harm the innocents, counterproductive to regional efforts to achieve the SDGs,’’ he added.
There was already a precedent in PAP’s fight against illegal sanctions imposed on an African country after the continental body’s heroic campaign in 2016 led to the scrapping of a blockade against Sudan by the US.
Those sanctions had been imposed in 2007.
Lifting sanctions against Zimbabwe would enable more foreign direct investment which would serve as a catalyst for economic recovery to meet to expectations of the people.
In backing the motion, Algerian legislator Lammali Behdja said sanctions against Zimbabwe should be removed to give the country economic freedom to benefit from its vast natural endowments.
Namibian legislator Mrs Loide Kasingo also spoke out against sanctions while supporting the motion saying the embargo was causing serious social and economic tolls on countries in the Sadc region that have to host economic refugees from Zimbabwe.
Supporting the motion, Senator John Bideri of Rwanda said Zimbabwe was hit by the illegal sanctions which robbed the country of its position as an African ‘’economic superpower’’ which was well know as an industrial and agricultural giant in the pre-embargo era.
Ms Jaynet Kabila also supported the motion lamenting the practice by powerful nations to use their economic might to undermine developing countries, most of them found on the African continent.
The motion calling for immediate lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe was first passed by PAP’s Southern Africa Regional Caucus chaired by South African legislator Cde Pemmy Majodina.
The West unilaterally imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe for embarking on land redistribution to correct historical land ownership imbalances and most African countries have of late been vociferous in their demand for the sanctions to be lifted.
The First Ordinary Session of the 6th parliament of PAP is sitting in South Africa and the issue of Zimbabwe sanctions has been hogging the limelight at the ongoing session. – The Herald
