African Nations Call For End to Illegal Western Sanctions On Zimbabwe

Malawian president and SADC chairperson Mrs Joyce Banda has called on Western nations to review the illegal sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe after the country held free, fair and credible harmonised elections. Zimbabweans went to polls on July 31 this year using SADC approved principles and guidelines used to conduct democratic elections and Zanu-PF won resoundingly. Said President Banda; “I want the West to review its position on the sanctions in Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans deserve better and Zimbabweans have suffered enough.” President Banda made the remarks while closing the SADC Summit meeting held in her country’s capital, Lilongwe at the weekend. Illegal Western sanctions against Zimbabweans including President Mugabe were imposed in 2003 by Unites States president George W. Bush, a Republican and were continued under his Democratic successor, Mr Barack Obama, backed by the Zimbabwe Transition to Democracy and Economic Recovery Act. In spite of the Western countries’ machinations, President Mugabe and Zanu-PF proceeded to trounce the MDC-T in polls endorsed by the bloc’s members. Zec chairperson Justice Rita Makarau on August 4 this year, declared President Mugabe as duly elected President of Zimbabwe. President Mugabe won 61,09 percent of the valid votes cast while Mr Tsvangirai got 33,94 percent of the votes. Zanu-PF also won a two-thirds majority to dominate the forthcoming House of Assembly which gives it the power to amend laws without consulting other parties