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WE find the decision by the United States Government to target the Minister of State Security Owen Ncube with sanctions on the very day Sadc, the African Union and other progressive bodies joined the people of Zimbabwe in marching against the punitive measures quite strange, regrettable and unfortunate given the giant strides the country has made in instituting reforms. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo personally announced the placement of Minister Ncube on a list of officials barred from entering that country with a tweet on Friday. 

He wrote: “Today I publicly designated Owen Ncube for his involvement in gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. State sanctioned violence in Zimbabwe must end now and those responsible for human rights violations must be held accountable”. 

The State Department later issued a statement in which it said it had evidence that Minister Ncube was involved in “gross violations of human rights”. 

While the decision is absurd and appears to have been timed to coincide with the anti-sanctions march, it leaves the re-engagement drive in a perilous state and one wonders why the US is so intent on derailing the process. 

On the day of the march, the US embassy in Harare upped its ante and engaged in a vicious propaganda war on twitter in which it sought to undermine proceedings at various venues around the country and in the region. Given the obvious panic the marches elicited from the US, it is clear that pressure has been ratcheted against the illegal embargo. 

On that score, we wish to thank Zimbabweans who turned out in their thousands to march against sanctions, our brothers and sisters in Sadc and the AU and those in the diaspora who joined the solidarity processions. 

Studies have proved that sanctions have caused untold suffering among the people of Zimbabwe and retarded efforts to grow the economy. Without access to international finance, Zimbabwe will find it difficult to achieve its economic growth projections. 

The fallacy that sanctions are targeted and therefore have no bearing on the economy has long been proved to be a lie. This is primarily because as long as the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act remains in place, this country will never have a fair chance of taking its rightful place in the family of nations. ZDERA has literally blacklisted Zimbabwean companies from engaging in fair trade with their counterparts from the West. 

It has also relegated Zimbabwe to a pariah state with whom very few nations around the world can engage in meaningful business. Government has been reforming its economy and other governance structures at lightning speed with notable progress made on the ease of doing business, legislative framework and democratic processes. However, despite these milestones, the US insists that not enough is being done and has thus hardened its stance. 

We believe that Washington can assist Zimbabwe by not adopting a scorched earth foreign policy with regards to the country. President Mnangagwa has opened his arms to the world through his “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra and has pledged to engage with any country in the world willing to do business with Zimbabwe. 

Perhaps it is time the US reciprocated his gesture by seeking rapprochement with Harare instead of burning bridges. Zimbabwe is a small country coming out of a two-decade long economic recession and deserves to be given a fighting chance to overcome its challenges. 

It will not benefit from punitive measures being imposed by powerful nations such as the US whose might and reach extends to every nook and cranny of this world. Instead of bullying tiny Zimbabwe, President Donald Trump’s administration should find ways of assisting rebuild the economy. 

We agree with the Government which has poured scorn on Washington’s bullyboy tactics. Information, Publicity and broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana yesterday said Zimbabwe was already under sanctions and would not benefit from further punitive measures. 

“These so-called ‘lists’ have just become a farcical and a form of hegemonic arbitrary justice.  The US brands itself a fair country but everything we have seen regarding the sanctions issue has been nothing but obstinate arrogance. I advise anyone to check Minister Owen Ncube’s travel history and see whether the US has ever been part of his prime destinations,” said Mr Mangwana.

He said for the US to ominously announce its decision on Minister Ncube on the day both the African Union and SADC spoke strongly against these sanctions, betrayed a paramount attitude towards African states. 

“The good news in all this is that Africa has spoken with one loud and emphatic voice in this matter for the first time. No amount of cynical pettiness can muffle that,” Mr Mangwana said. We also regret the decision to add Minister Ncube onto the sanctions list and urge the US Government to reconsider its hardline stance towards Zimbabwe.