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Zimbabweans Disappointed With Calls to End Sanctions

   Peter Clottey 05 October 2010

   Zimbabwe's embattled President Robert Mugabe

   A  social  commentator  said a majority of Zimbabweans are shocked and
   disappointment  after  Botswana President Ian Karma, a vowed critic of
   Zimbabwe  President  Robert Mugabe called on western countries to lift
   sanctions against the embattled leader and his close allies.

   Rejoice  Mgwenya  said Zimbabweans are angry that the Southern African
   Development  Community  (SADC)  seems  to  be  united  in  calling for
   sanctions  against  President Mugabe and his allies to be lifted ahead
   of the next general elections.

   âTo say surprised and shocked is an understatement. There is a feeling
   of anger because Mr. Khama was known as the single most rational voice
   in  SADC and many people believed that they have been let down by this
   statement,â he said.

   President Khama has been one of Africaâs most outspoken critics of Mr.
   Mugabe.

   In  2008, the Botswana leader urged the African Union not to recognize
   Mr. Mugabe as president following violence-plagued elections that most
   observers dismissed as a sham.

   President  Khama  was  quoted  as  saying âwe appeal to those who have
   placed  sanctions to remove them in order to give motivation⦠We also
   have  concerns but letâs remove them to demonstrate good faith and see
   where we go from there.â

   Botswana President Ian Khama

   Washington   and  other  western  countries  imposed  sanctions  after
   President Mugabe implemented a policy that involved seizing lands from
   white commercial farmers in 2000.

   The  seizures triggered a drop in food production, leading to eventual
   severe  food  shortages  and  hyperinflation  in  the southern African
   nation.

   President  Mugabe  has  been  pushing  for  an  end  to the sanctions,
   describing them as illegal and saying that they are hurting Zimbabweâs
   economy.

   Commentator Mgwenya said Zimbabweans are disturbed by what they say is
   the about turn stance taken by President Khama.

   âThe expectation was that of a continuity from his stance in 2008 that
   the Mugabe side of government is illegitimate and that the regime is a
   dictatorship  that  needs to be removed through a democratic system as
   soon  as  possible. And that all the pressure(s) have to be maintained
   on  the  regime  until  such  a  time  as and when the systems of true
   democracy  have been reinstated in Zimbabwe that is what the people of
   Zimbabwe have been expecting.â

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