CHURCH leaders have called for the unconditional removal of the illegal financial sanctions imposed by Western countries on Zimbabwe as a result of land reform.
This comes as October 25 marks the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, a day when the world joins Zimbabwe in calling for the removal of the unilateral sanctions.
Zimbabwe is this year marking the day under the theme “Friend to All, Enemy to None: Forging ahead and Enhancing Innovation and Productivity in Adversity of Sanctions”.
In an interview, Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference secretary-general Father Frederick Chiromba said it is the general public that is bearing the full brunt of the illegal sanctions.
“As church leaders, we have been calling for the removal of sanctions over the years,” he said. “Sanctions are a cruel way to correct the situation. In our case they have adversely affected the most vulnerable groups and destroyed our moral and social fabric.”
Father Chiromba said the issue of sanctions was now in the public domain; hence all Zimbabweans, regardless of political affiliation, creed or religion should unite in the call for their removal.
The region, Africa and many other countries have joined Zimbabwe in the call for the removal of the sanctions which have choked the country for more than two decades now, basically by making it more difficult for Western companies and investors to deal with Zimbabwe and making it almost impossible for Zimbabwe to access most of the normal global financial institutions set up to facilitate trade and mobilise capital for development.
St Emmanuel Church leader Baba Ezekiel Vupenyu Chuma said sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the US and its allies were not justified.
“The illegal sanctions are a violation of human rights, hence the need for the UN to step in and summon the US to expeditiously remove the embargo.”
He said Christians from all religious denominations will join other Zimbabweans and SADC member states in raising their voices against the illegal sanctions on October 25.
“They must be removed unconditionally,” he said. “The sanctions are a high level of human rights abuse.”
Since coming to power, the Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa has taken pragmatic steps to re-engage the world, including hostile Western nations with the highlight of the re-engagement efforts finding expression in the united call by SADC member states to speak in unison against the sanctions annually on October 25.
Apart from re-engaging the world, the Second Republic has also implemented political and economic reforms that have been accompanied by unprecedented infrastructural development notwithstanding the continued existence of the illegal sanctions.
Destiny for Africa founder Reverend Obadiah Msindo said sanctions were not saving any purpose and should be removed.
“They are not saving any purpose, our innovative leadership has come up with means of rendering sanctions useless, but still our people are affected,” he said. “By and large, it is the West that is losing investment opportunities as our country has found new investors, however, the country would fly higher if the sanctions were to be removed.”
Zimbabwe Amalgamated Churches Council patron Bishop Jimayi Muduvuri said the removal of sanctions will ensure a smooth flow of business with benefits for the whole populace.
“President Mnangagwa brought in the new environment, the new ways of doing business,” he said. “We cannot deny it; the atmosphere has changed from the old dispensation. There is now freedom of speech and expression in this country, people can now openly talk and pray openly. “This is all because of freedom in this country. The atmosphere has changed, the playing field has changed, hence there is no need for the US to suffocate Zimbabwe through sanctions.
“The main mission of this God-driven compassionate initiative is to spearhead a determined campaign to lobby and appeal to the US and powers who are behind these sanctions to withdraw these inhumane measures which are putting a purposeless, yet destructive burden on the poor of our nation.”
Bishop Muduvuri, who is also the patron of the Coalition against Sanctions in Zimbabwe, said they were happy with the support from SADC member states. “We are happy that SADC member states are now realising that sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe are real,” he said. “They are affecting regional trade. Even our business here is feeling the impact of sanctions.”
Bishop Muduvuri commended the Government for availing forex at bureaux de change, another ingenious facility meant to help the public and civil servants to mitigate the effects of sanctions, saying there was a growing demand by the public for foreign currency from bureaux de change.
The call comes after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Monetary Policy Committee resolved that the public wishing to purchase foreign currency are now able to approach any registered bureau de change, and upon the production of a national registration identity card, they can buy the prescribed amount of US$50 per week.
Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe president Archbishop Johannes Ndanga challenged Western embassies in Zimbabwe to relay the anti-sanction message to their countries.
“Their ambassadors should also be seen demonstrating against sanctions if they are champions of democracy and human rights,” he said. “Sanctions are a gross human rights abuse. Their representatives should not take the issue of sanctions for a ride. They are affecting ordinary citizens.”