Zanu-PF MP attacks his colleagues over sanctions blame game

A legislator in President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF has attacked his colleagues in the ruling party for squirming about the continued existence of Western sanctions, saying the biggest scourge facing Zimbabwe was corruption.

The ruling party's legislator for Mutoko South, David Chapfika, was contributing to debate on corruption motion moved by MDC Kambudzuma lawmaker William Madzimure on Tuesday.

Western countries have kept sanctions on Zimbabwe for more than a decade to punish  Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party for human rights abuses.

Mugabe blames the country's ills on sanctions, but Western countries say those sanctions target only Mugabe and his top aides, and include travel bans and asset freezes.

The veteran leader's re-election in a July 31 vote, his fifth term, was endorsed as free by African observers but denounced as being fraught with anomalies by the opposition, has led to easing of sanctions in a move aimed at fostering political and economic reform in the country.

But Chapfika said Zimbabwe had imposed sanctions on itself through runaway corruption.

He said graft was also hitting hard on the legislators.

"We know there are sanctions, we appreciate that but we are applying further sanctions on ourselves if we engage in corruption," Chapfika said.

"We have all agreed sanctions are there and they impede on activity. We should be disciplined and be united, but you cannot unite when you know your neighbour is looting and nothing is happening to him. Those are distortions, and people will rebel against distortions."

Chapfika said there were countries that have survived sanctions.

"China is one good example which is going to be number one within the next few years."

The United States imposed trade sanctions on government entities in China, the world's second largest economy.