The United States of America’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, said that the Zimbabwean government is using the so-called West imposed-sanctions as a convenient scapegoat to distract the public from the real reasons behind Zimbabwe’s economic challenges.
Writing for the NewsDay, Nichols postulated that the real reasons behind Zimbabwe’s economic malaise are corruption, economic mismanagement, and failure to respect human rights and uphold the rule of law. He wrote:
The greatest sanctions on Zimbabwe are the limitations the country imposes on itself. Zimbabwe is ranked 160 out of 175 nations on Transparency International’s corruption list.
Zimbabwe loses more than US$1 billion per year to corruption. That’s huge compared to the size of Zimbabwe’s entire economy — around US$26 billion.
The government says fighting corruption is a priority but have government and government-connected perpetrators been held accountable? No.
Meanwhile, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been lobbying for the removal of the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries, arguing that the embargo negatively affects the whole sub-region.
To that end, SADC has designated the 25th of October this year as a day for calling for the sanctions’ removal in solidarity with Zimbabwe.
The amcssador is a famous surrogate daddy of opposition. Why ignoring zimbabwean bank wc was slapped wt almost $3 m fine for dealing with listed co. How can a bank segsdgate cos.
Nichols is a diabolic ambassador, He is a lying person who can not be trusted, Everyone knows that sanctions are hurting Zimbabwe ,if they we not important why HV them in the first place, he is talking about corruption and $1 billion and attacking the government yet this is a SADC thing, He has been medelling in Zimbabwean politics unlike any other ambassadors, The March has opened the eyes of Zimbabweans . this should silence the lying bustard we hv no respect for. Lyer
Sammy you are misinformed there are no sanctions against Zimbabwe any one can invest in the country ,the only sanctions are for individuals who deliberately operate against human rights,freedom of speech and have no regard for international law
Yes your typical depot top lying brass
The billion is stolen, used for new cars ,personal zanu fundraising and illicit arms deals in a country that is not at war with any one
Those who have the guns use them to maintain their corrupt and politically perverting ways against the unarmed and threatened populace