Remove sanctions you imposed on your people first - Open letter to Mnangagwa

Editor Sir,

Sanctions are political and economic decisions that are part of diplomatic efforts   by countries, multilateral or regional organizations against states, organizations or individuals either to protect national security interests, or to protect international law, and defend against threats to international peace and security. These decisions principally include the temporary imposition on a target of economic, trade, diplomatic, cultural or other restrictions (sanctions measures) that are lifted when the motivating concerns no longer apply. In simpler terms, sanctions are simply a sort of punishment imposed to an individual, organisation or nation for not following or complying to certain regulations that are supposed to be followed. This punishment can however be removed when the individual, organisation or country complies.

The conditions for the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe are clear and straight forward. Restoration of the rule of law, free and fair elections, a stop to the militarisation of the nation, fair and transparent legal system, among others. These are the conditions required by those who imposed them. They never called the regime to organise musical galas, rallies, commemorations, marches and slogans for the sanctions in order for them to be lifted.

The Mnangagwa regime has imposed tough sanctions on its own citizens, sanctions tougher than the ones it is calling for to be removed. No one is allowed to support any other party other than the ruling Zanu PF, there is no any kind of freedom and human rights in the country at all, there is no rule of law whatsoever, all state institutions are captured, ill treatment and underpayment of workers, extreme poverty, disgusting service deliveries across the nation, massive corruption everywhere, injustice, abductions, torture, disappearances, illegal arrests, threats, abuses and all forms of dictatorship tendencies are some of the sanctions every Zimbabwean is calling the government to remove before coming together against sanctions imposed by outsiders. You can't be beating up your own wife everyday and expect her to defend you when you get beaten by a neighbour.

The interesting truth is nothing lasts forever. All these dictators have their nasty way out. We had bullies and tyrants like Muammar Gaddafi, Gnassingbe Ayedema, Idi Amin, Charles Taylor Yahya Jammeh, and our own Robert Mugabe among others who at one point believed they were God but are now history through a sorrowful way. Unfortunately, people like Emmerson Munangagwa doesn't seem to learn from history and past mistakes. Many Zimbabweans are risking their lives everyday crossing rivers into other countries, being subjected to gross inhuman treatment, slavery, harassment, physical and mental  abuse in other countries because their own motherland has been turned into a hopeless desert by a few greedy individuals who thinks they own the nation and shift the blame to sanctions. Families have been destroyed, woman are forced to sell their bodies for survival, many are forced into crime and drugs just for survival. Education has been reduced to nothing but a waste of time and resources, a country used to be the pride of Africa now a shame of the continent. A nation once a breadbasket now a begging basket. Surely this will come to an end. God is not a fool.

By Garikai Mananje
Human rights activist

gmananje@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/GarikaiMananje
0773483569