By Anesu Pedzisayi
On the 25th of October 2019, Zimbabwe will be embarking on an intensive ant-sanctions campaign, calling for the removal of illegal measures put on the country by the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). As much as the West may want to say the sanctions are ‘targeted,’ it is an open secret that these measures are affecting the ordinary citizens and need to be lifted for Zimbabwe to fully realise economic growth.
It is important and encouraging that the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has taken a position to carry out various ideas in different countries respectively, enhancing the need to have the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe removed. This is because Zimbabwe’s fight has become an African fight. Southern Africa has become a home to multitudes of Zimbabweans who have left their home country, seeking for better gains to feed their families.
Sanctions by nature have a ripple effect that cascades down, negatively impacting on the ordinary citizens’ lives. These sanctions have resulted in Zimbabwe being cut off from having access to credit lines and financial support from international financial institutions like the World Bank. Because the country has also been in isolation for almost two decades, there has been a low influx of international investors who have also been charging high interest rates on loans, especially for infrastructure development.
In essence, due to lack of investment loans, international financial transactions, trading partners and access to export markets, Zimbabwe has been unable to unlock worthy avenues to do business with and this has been detrimental as Zimbabwe is a developing country still relying on trade and investment, international markets and international credit lines for it to grow.
The effects of sanctions have had a ripple effect that has gravely affected ordinary citizens. Lack of financial support has meant that Government has had to operate on tight-strung budget, reducing activity in areas that support the country’s growth. The country has been making little progress in rebuilding collapsed infrastructure as a result of constrained capacity. This has affected service provision, from local councils, Government parastatals to the national economy at large. For example in the provision of clean and safe water, in Harare, the City Council has been failing to replace old water and sewer pipes, resulting in the easy spread and outbreak of water borne diseases like cholera and typhoid. The spread of diseases and deaths resulting, are some of the harsh effects of sanctions imposed on the country.
Zimbabwe’s economy has largely been supported by an agro-based system. However, the effects of climate change have also heavily impacted the agricultural sector, adding pressure to the already sanctions-crippled area. This has resulted in the downscaling of farming activities, with farmers failing to equip their farms with required irrigation and farming equipment. Despite the willpower; machinery, equipment and inputs have increasingly become expensive for most farmers, thereby reducing output for consumption as well as trade.
Reports have shown that under sanctions, several governments withdrew their grants from Zimbabwe, with some that were aimed at improving water and sanitation, HIV and Aids and other health programs. The withdrawal of grants has burdened Government in its efforts to provide citizens with more clinics and hospitals within 10 km radius or less, so that medical assistance is within reach. There has also been a gap brought by lack of foreign currency to recapitalise hospital equipment as well to buy state of the art equipment, medicines and hospital sundries.
The effects of sanctions go beyond health and agriculture as they are cross cutting. What is of importance to grasp and appreciate is that typically, if Government has no access to credit lines and financial support, the burden falls on the citizens who have to endure filling the gap. This has resulted in marginalised vulnerable groups sinking further into poverty, as they make efforts to provide for themselves, amid the current economic challenges.
Zimbabwe is failing to benefit from trading off its natural resources like diamonds and other minerals as they have been slammed with sanctions. The agricultural, mining and tourism industry, amongst other sectors, are heavily burdened by sanctions, yet they are the base on which the Zimbabwean economy would thrive from.
It is imperative that Zimbabweans, from all walks of life, take it upon themselves to rally behind President Mnangagwa and Government in the call for the removal of the illegal sanctions. 25 October should be a day that all Zimbabweans, home and away, should take advantage of and have their voices heard. The call for the removal of illegal sanctions may never be too loud or be said to be enough, until the restrictive measures are done away with. Zimbabwe has the potential, resources, manpower, willpower and ability to grow, and the US and the EU should remove the sanctions so that the country realises economic growth.
