The US introduced economic sanctions on Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, 2001. (ZIDERA) Through this enactment Zimbabwe’s access to finance and credit facilities was effectively incinerated.
ZIDERA empowers the US to use its voting rights and influence (as the main donor) in multilateral lending agencies, such as the IMF, World Bank, and the African Development Bank to veto any applications by Zimbabwe for finance, credit facilities, loan rescheduling, and international debt cancellation. The US cites Zimbabwe’s human rights record, political intolerance and absence of rule of law as the main reasons for the imposition of sanctions. The ZIDERA also suggests that if Zimbabwe acts to correct these ills, then the sanctions will be removed and economic support measures are suggested.
Here at the Ghost we hold that Mugabe still holds the primary responsibility for:
a) Not moving on the land earlier and
b) not having a fallback plan for England's about face.
c) Not grooming leadership to take over from him.
The author of the linked article has made the correct statement that Mugabe is not Zimbabwe and therefore the economic sanctions that serve to hurt the people of Zimbabwe rather than it's leader is immoral. I agree, though the problem is that Mugabe through his "leadership" has made himself synonymous with Zimbabwe. Again, had he groomed new leadership to replace him such a distinction would not have to be made. That fault lies squarely with Mugabe and the ZANU-PF.
