Short stated that the newly elected Labour led by Tony Blair was not willing to help in funding Zimbabwe’s land reform or to help in redressing any colonial injustice incurred during the Conservative era in Britain.
The letter stated that Labour was formed by people from diverse backgrounds and Short herself was an Irish which is a former British colony therefore she distanced herself from the issue.
This actually meant that London and the Labour party in particular were opposed to the way the land reform was to be done and diplomatically it was clear that the process was likely to trigger a negative counter response from Britain and its allies.
Recently I have heard Zanu PF lamenting economic sanctions labelling them as the main hindrance to economic growth in the country. This was done to an extent of forcing millions of Zimbabweans to sign a petition denouncing the economic embargoes.
The party led by President Robert Mugabe even went on to misinform people about the causes of sanctions saying that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was the main architect behind economic sanctions.
This is only a move by a frustrated politician masquerading as a liberator, teacher or unifier who wants to fulfill his political agendas.
The real cause of economic sanctions in Zimbabwe is an issue that remains controversial and open to debate.
What Zanu PF has failed to do over the past few months is to educate the people of Zimbabwe about the nature of the real thing called a sanction, its cause and solution to avoid public misinterpretation.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
It is not surprising to learn that three quarters of Zimbabweans who signed the petition did not know the true cause of the sanctions and the solution to the problem.
These people were merely driven by politicians who wanted to fulfill their political ambitions.
Some Zanu PF leaders have been telling their supporters that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is the one who is behind sanctions and is the one who must call for their removal.
The fact that the issue of economic sanctions was tabled in London before the formation of the MDC is an indication that neither Tsvangirai nor any MDC official called for the sanctions.
The truth behind the issue of sanctions is that neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai has got the power to command, order or persuade the British or the Americans to remove sanctions.
Tsvangirai as a politician with his own ambitions may take the current economic meltdown and political crisis as a chance to dislodge Mugabe from power by blaming the ageing politician for the sanctions.
On the other hand Zanu PF is also benefiting from the sanctions by trying to convince the electorate that the MDC are the ones causing untold suffering of the people of Zimbabwe by supporting sanctions and labelling themselves as the only party that is capable of liberating people from the bondage of sanctions.
This means that politically, both parties are benefiting in one way or the other from the existence of sanctions.
Although Tsvangirai seems to be benefiting politically from the economic sanctions, I don’t think he advocates their existence in this country. The issue of economic sanctions is between Mugabe, Britain and its allies and Tsvangirai is not a stakeholder in this issue.
