By Mapozho Saruchera
A lot has been written on how foreign nations hostile to Zimbabwe such as the United States (US) have tried to bend the Southern African nation to their will. These hostile nations have employed countless maneuvers including the imposition of illegal sanctions to try and make it impossible for the ZANU-PF led Zimbabwean Government to lead the country forward.
It is an open secret that Americans were behind the formation of the country’s main opposition party, MDC and still funds it. Relatedly, Americans are also going around the country forming and funding pseudo human rights groups who are then tasked with manufacturing evidence to the effect that there are gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe. Case in point being the recent decision by the US to ban Zimbabwe exports of uncut diamonds, claiming the gems where being extracted using forced labour, despite the US embassy in Harare saying they did not have evidence to support their Government’s position, but relied on third parties – the pseudo human rights groups they sponsor.
The Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, did not mince his words concerning the conduct of the Americans saying, as Government they believed there was a political agenda hidden behind the ban. At the end of the day, Uncle Sam had his way and Zimbabwean diamonds are still banned from entering the US – a move meant to financially strangle the young African nation.
Another move which has the hallmarks of moves being employed by hostile nations to try and dislodge the current Government was the call by the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) to suspend elections for seven years to pave way for political and economic reforms under a new structure which would come from the people. Has the current Government failed to implement the said political and economic reforms? Why cut the term of office of a constitutionally elected President for something unconstitutional? The answer is simple – Americans have failed to dislodge ZANU-PF from power and are now trying to sneak their puppets into Government through the back door capitalizing on the economic hardships induced by the illegal sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe. ZHOCD should be campaigning for the removal of sanctions instead of unconstitutional endeavors meant to sanitize the evils of Americans whose sanctions have reduced ordinary Zimbabweans to paupers.
Closely related to the above are the remarks by the Head of European Union (EU) delegation to Zimbabwe, Timo OLKKONEN, when he met ZANU-PF officials at the party headquarters, that President Emmerson Mnangagwa should engage MDC leader Nelson Chamisa in talks to end the on-going economic challenges. One can note the EU, just like the Americans, are pushing to have MDC in Government, albeit covertly. What the Europeans must come clean on is how dialogue will translate to economic recovery. Is dialogue the condition for them and the Americans to remove the illegal sanctions? Is the on-going Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) not good for them and their blue eyed boy, Nelson?
Despite political differences, Zimbabweans should stand as one in fighting against foreign interference for the economic difficulties faced by the country are surmountable without our hands tied behind our backs as is the case with the illegal sanctions. To the opposition – yes, the foreigners might be on your side today, but be rest assured that it’s not for your benefit. The little money they are giving to you is pocket change compared to the value of our God given minerals and land that ZANU-PF guard so jealously. Let us not succumb to selfish demands by foreigners because if you give a mouse a cookie, after all, he's bound to ask for a glass of milk – they certainly demand more, until they have taken everything.
