Museveni takes aim at Mugabe, Mnangagwa over sanctions scapegoat

Visiting Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni has hinted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his predecessor former President Robert Mugabe, could have used the issue of sanctions imposed by Western powers as a scapegoat against their own failures.

Although he did not mention Mnangagwa and Mugabe by name, Museveni said the sanctions have clouded any judgement that can be passed on the performance of the Zimbabwean leaders.

According to State media, Museveni also said the imposition of sanctions against Zimbabwe by the West is an act of cowardice and those behind the economic restrictions should lift them.

Officially opening the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) here yesterday, President Museveni unequivocally called for the removal of the illegal sanctions, which have been blamed for frustrating economic recovery efforts.

"On behalf of Uganda, I want to condemn the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe for such a long time," he said.

"This idea of sanctions is cowardice."

Zimbabwe was slapped with illegal sanctions by Britain and her allies at the turn of the millennium after the country embarked on a successful land reform programme as part of efforts to correct skewed land ownership which favoured the minority whites.

The country, as a result of the embargo, cannot access lines of credit, making it difficult to operate a modern economy.

"Why do you put sanctions if somebody is wrong?" said President Museveni.

"Leave him! He will be failed by the mistakes. Why do you have to put sanctions if you know you are right and somebody is wrong? That means you are not sure that one is wrong?

"Otherwise if you are sure that this one is wrong, why don't you let him say by his own mistakes."

President Museveni appealed for the immediate lifting of sanctions which are frustrating efforts to turnaround the economy.

Museveni urged Zimbabweans to soldier on and remain resilient despite the prevailing economic challenges, saying the dark phase will come to pass.

Under the new political administration led by President Mnangagwa, the country is seeking to turnaround its fortunes guided by the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), as it works towards its long term Vision 2030 of an upper middle income economy.