- Title: Zimbabwe's president says Western sanctions 'must go'
- Date: 25th October 2019
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT, EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, SAYING; "Today, we arise and collectively say, enough is enough, the illegal sanctions are an albatross to the development, well-being and prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe. Sanctions must go, remove them now." PEOPLE SITTING IN STALLS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT, EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, SAYING; "This is the reality of these deleterious sanctions on our country. No amount of propaganda can spin or sugarcoat this gruesome truth. The continued judgment and setting of utopian standards for Zimbabwe, which are never applied in any other jurisdictions, are callous, vindictive and should not be allowed to continue. This is the basis on which we say, enough is enough. Remove these sanctions." BANNER READING (English): "SANCTIONS: A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY" (SOUNDBITE) (Shona) HARARE RESIDENT, ABIGAIL KHUMALO, SAYING: "I want the sanctions to be removed, I am someone who is not well, I have got a backbone problem but I managed to walk here so that these sanctions be removed now, because I am the one who is suffering." MAN HOLDING PLACARD READING (English): "SANCTIONS AFFECTS SPIRITUAL GROWTH, WE ARE A FAMILY, NO TO SANCTIONS" (SOUNDBITE) (Shona) HARARE RESIDENT, TICHAONA ZWINDOGA, SAYING; "It's something which is driven by hatred, not by anything else. If possible, sanctions must go, it's high time those sanctions should be removed right now, thank you." VIEW OF NEARLY EMPTY STADIUM PEOPLE SITTING
- Embargoed: 8th November 2019 17:05
- Keywords: Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa Zanu PF Harare
- Location: HARARE, ZIMABWE
- City: HARARE, ZIMABWE
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA002B2LJRRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday (October 25) described Western sanctions as illegal and called for them to be removed. His supporters denounced the measures during marches held around the country.
In Harare, many stayed away from the demonstrations, saying they were a distraction from the president's mishandling of the economy, which is plagued by 18-hour daily power cuts and shortages of foreign exchange, fuel and medicines.
Mnangagwa has so far failed to unify the country since taking over from the late Robert Mugabe, who was ousted in a coup in 2017. Hopes of a swift recovery have faded as the economy struggles to exit its deepest crisis in a decade.
Mnangagwa, like Mugabe, blames the sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union since 2001 for the economic ills and says they are intended to remove his party from power.
The poor attendance showed the difficulties that Mnangagwa faces in mobilising party members still divided between Mugabe's supporters and those who ousted him. The rift was exposed by a bruising dispute over the former leader's funeral.
The EU and United States imposed financial and travel bans on ZANU-PF and top military figures for alleged human rights abuses and electoral fraud. The government says the measures are punishment for its seizures of white-owned farms.
ZANU-PF supporters condemn the sanctions while the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change says they are not the cause of the country's economic crisis.
(Production: Gift Sukala, Siyabonga Sishi, Chiara Rodriquez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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