US govt condemns violence in Zimbabwe as Biden set to decide on sanctions

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime is in the spotlight this week as United States leader Joe Biden is expected to review sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe over repression and human rights violations.

The US traditionally renews its sanctions on the Southern African country every first quarter of the year since 2002. The restrictive measures were first imposed against late the former President Robert Mugabe to force his regime to uphold human rights and end corruption.

Mnangagwa who grabbed power through a military coup in November 2017 has not been spared in March last year when Biden decided to renew them.

Against that background, Mnangagwa’s re-engagement plans are seemingly not bearing fruit as the US government continues to condemn political violence in the country.

This comes after 16 members of the ruling Zanu-PF party were on Sunday arrested in connection with the assault and subsequent murder that took place when a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally in Kwekwe was violently disrupted.

One of CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa’s supporters, Mboneni Ncube (30) was killed when the incident happened.

The US Embassy in Harare yesterday issued a statement condemning the political violence.

“The United States stands with the people of Zimbabwe who seek to exercise their political rights and assemble peacefully. We call for broad support to end political violence. There is no room for political violence in a democracy,” the US said.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mboneni Ncube, killed in Kwekwe this Sunday for exercising his rights – rights due to all citizens in a democracy. We call for justice and broad support to end political violence in Zimbabwe.”

So far, Edmore Shoshera (30), Albert Maketo Tembo (29), Sydney Samanyai (29) and Percy Mukwaturi (38) have been arrested in connection with the incident. They are all Zanu-PF members according to a leaked police memo.

The US government is expected to review its Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zidera) this week. Nehanda Radio