UK Sanctions on Zimbabwean Officials.

 

On the 1^st of February 2021, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the UK would be imposing harsh sanctions on four of Zimbabwe’s Security Sector chiefs. How is this good news? Well… sighs in Zimbabwean.

Following the coup of Robert Gabriel Mugabe in November 2017, the Zimbabwean people were full of hope that the new leader Emerson Mnangagwa would be kinder than his predecessor. Luckily, they did not hold their breath, and his leadership style can be described as leaving much to be desired. Even if they did happen to need ventilators due to low oxygen levels, any Zimbabwean belonging to a neighbourhood or traffic WhatsApp group, has heard enough on that matter already

Zimbabweans witnessed the deaths of 17 peaceful protestors in the January 2019 protests, expressing basic human rights. The UK government is holding 4 security sector chiefs responsible, in an effort to demote such callous violations. The aim is to encourage the Zimbabwean government to respect human rights such as freedom of speech, right to peacefully protest, and to comply with worldwide human rights laws.

Said announcement has barred these security chiefs from travelling to the UK freely, channelling funds through British banks, or profiting from the UK economy. Such restrictions were made to target the security chiefs in question, without affecting the rest of the Zimbabwean population.     The Asset Freeze and travel ban have been put onto the following officials:

·   
 Owen Ncube, Minister for State Security.

·       Isaac Moyo, Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation.

·       Godwin Matanga, Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

·       Anselem Sanyatwe, Commander of the Presidential Guard and Tactical Commander of the National Reaction Force.

It is believed by the UK government that if these sanctions inspire positive change, investors will be far less reluctant about providing finance to Zimbabwean business owners and start-up’s, therefore strengthening the economy.