Zimbabwe must lift internal sanctions first

Zimbabwe’s Government of National Unity (GNU) has started off better than most people anticipated. Slowly hope is being restored to the people who had all but given up on the country ever recovering. There have been widespread calls to have the international Community to lift targeted “sanctions” to allow the flow of Aid and investment back into Zimbabwe. Whilst the GNU has focused on calling for lifting of external sanctions many observers will notice the presence of internal sanctions which have made it difficult to convince the International Community that Zimbabwe is indeed on an irreversible reform path.


As part of showing that Change has come to Zimbabwe a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a good starting point. This will act as foundation for a new beginning for the Third Republic and bring a formal closing to a sad and cruel chapter in Zimbabwe’s short but eventful history. This is an act which can go a long way in convincing the West and the International Community that Zimbabwe deserves help and support as it seeks to break away from a ruinous path.


The sanctions were imposed for very specific reasons .The inclusive government is keen on removing external sanctions while leaving internal sanctions intact .The removal of the internal sanctions will send a clear signal that indeed change has come to Zimbabwe or rather Zimbabwe has changed for the better.

The mere campaign that sanctions should be lifted without being accompanied by visible and irreversible reforms will only save to undermine all the major players in the GNU. Calling for removal for sanctions when the actions and activities that brought the sanctions in the first place are still taking place seems to suggest the message being sent by those imposing sanctions is not being heard or understood.

The external sanctions were imposed as a reaction to the internal sanctions that had been imposed by the state on various sectors of its population .As a natural progression of the scenario the internal sanctions or actions that brought about external sanctions must be addressed and once this is done it will then be clear that those imposing external sanctions are being unreasonable if they insist on keeping the sanctions in place .As it there are various acts, events and activities which serve to justify the imposition if not the extension of sanctions.

The continued acts of farm invasions, selective arrests in political violence cases, reported renewed abduction of journalists, open hostility to independent media and a general lack of accountability of individuals who disappeared continue to give currency that sanctions must remain. It is therefore the GNU’s duty to do a simple check list and assess if Zimbabwe is complying with a bare minimum expected in a normal modern society ?

When one reviews the recent documentary on the state of Prisons then its clear internal sanctions are more pronounced and deadly than external sanctions. Those abducted were kept in the same cells and under the same conditions as those shown in the Documentary. Those still missing could be among those very weakened and neglected prisoners.
The recent documentary on conditions is just but one indicator that Zimbabwe is far from being a normal society. One wonders if the state can not take care of individuals legally in its custody how does one expect the same state to look after individuals who have been illegally detained?

When the state is now clearly failing to discharge its simple duties such as taking care of individuals in its custody the world then wonders whether that country is normal or is it moving towards normalcy when those in charge continue to deny allegations that are backed by irrefutable evidence such as those shocking videos and pictures in the documentary.

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission will help to indicate that Zimbabwe has closed a sad chapter. The state of Prisons and the Prisoners themselves send a clear signal about how much those in power care for other human beings whom they have been entrusted to take custody of. Some food for thought for the GNU.

Gilbert Muponda is CEO and Founder of GMRI Capital. He can be contacted at gilbert@gilbertmuponda.com