from DANAI MWARUMBWA in Harare, Zimbabwe
HARARE, (CAJ News) – FOLLOWING unprecedented scenes tantamount to an attempted coup in the United States (US), Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has lamented the double standards by the American government.
This follows President Donald Trump’s supporters invading the Capitol, which is the legislative seat of the US government, on Wednesday.
The militants violently stormed the ionic building in Washington during the counting of electoral college votes for the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden in November.
Mnangagwa noted that earlier last year, Trump extended economic sanctions placed on Zimbabwe, citing concerns about the Southern African country’s democracy.
“Yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) events showed that the US has no moral right to punish another nation under the guise of upholding democracy,” Mnangagwa stated.
He added, “These sanctions must end.”
Sanctions are to an extent blamed for the economic and political problems afflicting Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa congratulated President-elect Biden, who assumes office on January 20.
“Zimbabwe is, as it always has been, ready to work together as friends and partners with the US for the benefit of both our peoples,” he reiterated.
Relations between US and Zimbabwe have been strained since the late 1980s when America discontinue bilateral aid to Zimbabwe as a result of “continuing pattern of uncivil and undiplomatic statements and actions by the Government of Zimbabwe in the United Nations and elsewhere.”
Then, Zimbabwe was under Robert Mugabe and US under Ronald Reagan. Both are late.
The US government of George Bush Jnr imposed economic sanctions on the Southern African country under the so-called Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.
The illegal sanctions followed Zimbabwe’s reclaim of its land from foreign settlers to correct land imbalances caused by colonial injustices against indigenous people (blacks).
– CAJ News