Sanctions fight stuck in Senate

The motion has been tabled in Parliaments upper house by Senator Mandava. Despite mounting pressure, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC senators have refrained from participating in the debate.

The GPA binds the MDC to: take action to ensure all forms of measures and sanctions against Zimbabwe be lifted in order to facilitate a sustainable solution to the challenges that are currently facing Zimbabwe; and commit themselves to working together in re-engaging the international community with a view to bringing to an end, the country’s international isolation.”

Mandava’s motion claims “economic sanctions are hurting the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans and driving many into poverty.”

The motion calls on the inclusive government to constitute a class action case in the European Court of Justice (ECJ), Court of First Instance, to demand western powers withdraw the non-existent sanctions.

During the debate, Mandava acknowledged there was no cross-party support for his proposal. “I move this motion eminently aware of our differences and disagreements, on both cause and effect of economic sanctions imposed by both the United States under ZIDERA or it is ”zidhee-rera” and EU under Council Regulation EC 314.2004 CFSP,” he said.

The action in Parliament is the latest in a multi-faceted campaign to get the measures removed. Mugabe has used his overarching powers to legislate the nationalisation of foreign-owned mines from Western countries have imposed sanctions on his party over suspected election fraud and rights abuses.

Tsvangirai’s MDC says all the three parties in the GNU must first implement all the things agreed to in the Agreement before going to the international community to be judged on the extent to which Zimbabwean parties can keep promises.

Government has also formed a multi-partisan Re-engagement Committee, chaired by Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with a specific mandate to ensure the measures are removed.

But the committee’s work has been stymied by Zanu (PF)’s disregard for the rule of law and systematic campaign of intimidation against the opposition.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the MDC was not responsible or accountable for Zanu (PF) failed policies and repression of the past which led to the imposition of the measures.

“As a partner in the inclusive government we are committed to remedying those failed policies and bringing real change to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.