RECENTLY I have heard people commenting that the West has now seen the light, and that indeed they want to engage Zimbabwe.
Maybe Europe yes, but certainly not the USA.
Last week (July 10 2014) the USA revised Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations and the new measures were published by the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The new measures include, barring “Americans from making humanitarian donations without first seeking government approval.”
The humanitarian goods include donations of ‘food, clothing and medical donations’ and the Obama administration argues that making such donations “would seriously impair his ability to deal with the national emergency” in Zimbabwe-(https://en.starafrica.com/news/us-outlaws-unsanctioned-humanitarian-donations-to-zimbabwe.html)
This comes a few weeks before the White House hosts its first US-Africa leaders summit in Washington DC between August 5 and 6 this year, in which our president is excluded from attending.
The Obama administration handpicked the 47 African leaders who will attend the summit.
On January 21 2014, a French news agency (Agence France-Presse) wrote: “Obama will send out invites to all African nations that are currently in good standing with the United States or are not suspended from the African Union — meaning there will be no place for states like Egypt or Zimbabwe.”
But we all know that these EU-Africa and USA-Africa summits have everything to do with Chinese threat in Africa.
The 47 African leaders attending the USA-Africa summit will only get an opportunity to dine and wine with President Obama.
They will pose for photographs at White House, but they will come back with empty promises, and if the promises are fulfilled, they come at a cost.
President Obama forgets that the USA’s relevance in Africa is eroding and China is taking over.
In Africa, China has emerged as a game changer, changing the face of global politics.
America may remain the world superpower militarily, but China is emerging as the world’s richest country.
Zimbabwe will continue to trade and engage with countries like India and China and a snub from America will not make much difference. Furthermore, the USA is also benefitting from Chinese investment, and America herself is a major beneficiary of Chinese investment.
A Washington-based think tank, the Heritage Foundation, estimates that between 2005 and 2012, Chinese investment in the USA amounted to US$50 billion.
Acknowledging the strength of Chinese investment in the USA, last year the economist Derek Scissors (who works for the Heritage Foundation) commented, “No matter whose data you use, the two-year period of 2012-13 is very, very strong for Chinese investment in the US.”
Obama’s hostility to Zimbabwe shows that he is still bent on enforcing regime change in Zimbabwe, but why?
If America is indeed a democratic country as she preaches, then why punishing a government that has been elected by more than two-thirds of the country?
By sanctioning all food and medical donations to Zimbabwe, is the USA punishing Zimbabweans for electing a leader of their choice?
It is also surprising that while the EU is trying to mend its relations with Zimbabwe, the USA is pulling in a different direction.
It is as if Zimbabwe is a victim of some notable tensions between the EU and USA.
We know that the relations between the USA and some European countries are not as rosy as they want people to believe.
Last week the German government, “demanded the removal of the top American spy in the country, the strongest evidence yet that mounting revelations about widespread American intelligence operations in Germany have gravely damaged relations between once close allies” (the New York Times July 10 2014).
The USA-Germany tension comes amid allegations of US spying in Germany. The New York Times further commented, “There is great frustration in Berlin that the Obama administration has not provided more information about a range of surveillance activities in Germany — including the tapping of Ms. Merkel’s cellphone.”
Whatever Obama’s motive for tightening the sanctions against Zimbabwe when others are trying to mend bridges only shows a high degree of American arrogance.
Zimbabwe was never, and will never, be an American colony.
It is a shame coming from a country that sings ‘democracy’ with a high pitched voice.
For the doubting Thomases, Zimbabweans should now know who the enemy is. The regime change mantra is far from being over.
It is disturbing to see America tightening illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe when Zimbabwe has taken her case to the European Union court.
It’s like saying munondidii?.
A bully will always be a bully.
Many Zimbabweans are outraged by the USA sanctions on Zimbabwe.
I took the following comments from the internet.
Sean Marenga (University of Zimbabwe): “Thanks Obama.
“Now we know what America does…. starves and kills the innocent.”
Langabi Shakespear Ngomane  (Melbourne, Australia): “Obama is a lunatic!”
Nyoni Tendayi: “I do not know who is being targeted by these sanctions other than the poor average person.
“What proof is there to show that the average Joe is ZANU PF?
“The majority of the people who triggered these sanctions are already dead, the likes of Hunzvi, Gezi, Manyika to name a few.
“Do you need to punish the whole generation for the sins done by a few individuals.”
However, some short-sighted Zimbabweans feel differently.
Tom Tegs Nyandoro (Pennsylvania State University) thinks that the new sanctions are justified.
He wrote “….you are crying for donations as if it’s a right?
“Sidandi this is American free stuff why can’t you demand that from ZANU government who collect taxes.
“Marenga its Mugabe killing and starving Zimbos.
“This is free stuff for God’s sake.”
In the UK I also spoke with a few colleagues about the implications of the USA sanctions.
The general feeling is that the sanctions are not necessary and they are meant to enforce regime change.