President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa. Picture: Zinyange Auntony/ AFP
The Zimbabwe government said imposing sanctions on President Emmerson Mnangagwa is tantamount to punishing all citizens of that country.
The United States government on Monday imposed sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior leaders for their alleged involvement in corruption and human rights abuses.
Citing a campaign of rights abuses and corruption, US deputy secretary of the treasury Wally Adeyemo said they will block any US-based property and prohibit any unofficial travel to the country by the sanctioned Zimbabweans.
“The changes we are making today are intended to make clear what has always been true: our sanctions are not intended to target the people of Zimbabwe.
“We are refocusing our sanctions on clear and specific targets: President Mnangagwa’s criminal network of government officials and businesspeople who are most responsible for corruption or human rights abuse against the people of Zimbabwe,” Adeyemo said.
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Zimbabwean government spokesperson Nick Mangwana on X said the sanctions is “a great vindication of Mnangagwa’s foreign policy.
“Well, this is massive. A great vindication of President @edmnangagwa’s foreign policy. That said, as long our President is under sanctions Zimbabwe remains under illegal sanctions, as long as members of the first family are under sanctions, Zimbabwe remains under illegal sanctions, and as long as senior leadership is under sanctions, we are all under sanctions. And as long as members of corporate Zimbabwe are under sanctions, we are under sanctions.”
According to AFP, US secretary of state Antony Blinken called the new measures part of a “stronger, more targeted sanctions policy” on Zimbabwe as he voiced concern over “serious cases of corruption and human rights abuse.”
“Key individuals, including members of the government of Zimbabwe, bear responsibility for these actions, including the looting of government coffers that robs Zimbabweans of public resources,” Blinken said in a statement.
“Multiple cases of abductions, physical abuse, and unlawful killing have left citizens living in fear.”
In imposing the sanctions, President Joe Biden issued a declaration abolishing an earlier sanctions programme on Zimbabwe launched in 2003.
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