via We’ve defeated sanctions: Mugabe. newzimbabwe.com 17 June 2014
STRUGGLING Zimbabweans may now expect their decade-long anguish to abate after President Robert Mugabe triumphantly declared that sanctions imposed by the West – by his reckoning the sole cause of the country’s economic problems – had been defeated.
The 90 year-old leader delivered his version of George W Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” boast in far-away Bolivia during the G-77+China summit held last weekend.
However, speaking in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the Zanu PF leader told Iranian Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, that he had managed to “ward off pressures” brought by the sanctions.
“The sanctions are getting defeated domestically and to the extent that our allies are supporting us internationally,” he said.
At home, Mugabe and his Zanu PF party have long spun a different narrative, blaming the sanctions for all ills buffeting the country.
In March this year, Mugabe was blaming the same sanctions for his government’s failure to honour salary promises made to civil servants while he was campaigning for re-election last July.
“We are currently going through a difficult patch as a result of the sanctions that were imposed on us,” Mugabe told guests to one of three parties organised to celebrate his birthday.
The sanctions were imposed by the West due to violations of human rights and electoral fraud, allegations which Mugabe denies, insisting he was punished for his land reforms.
However, US envoy Bruce Wharton said Zimbabwe’s political and economic problems were self-made and not related to the sanctions.
Speaking in February, he reminded Harare that the country was not under sanctions in 1997 when the Zim Dollar crashed, losing 71,5% of its value, after Mugabe’s government made unbudgeted payments to war veterans.
Wharton also pointed out that economic gains registered under the coalition government were achieved with the sanctions still in place.
COMMENTS
What is needed is balanced reporting if Wharton makes a statement ask for proof – there were no economic gains during the coalition government, only losses – make Wharton relate economic gains if he can.
Quote and give evidence on why he thinks sanctions had no effect and why he think the US and Britain are so stupid as to impose sanctions which will have bnno effect on anything.
Really do a research article for a change don’t just sprout propaganda we are really fed up with it.
Those figures are available from the Finance Ministry and all are correct. Wharton is using Zimbabwe’s own figures when he makes that statement.
public protector, it’s not about what Wharton thinks; it’s about facts which are in the public space. The problem is that despite facts all around you, you want to pretend that you are not aware Mugabe is the most incompetent president that ever walked the face of the earth. He is an economic ignoramus. Bvumawo zvinhu zviri pachena.
If you are a product of what Zimbabwe has produced through Mugabe’s so called schooling program it is no wonder the country is in such bad shape. Brain first, mouth second is the motto you should adhere to.
@publicprotector – Thank you for that in depth summation, your vacuous buffoonery never fails to tickle my sense of humour! Please keep it up.
where is your proof bb pp???
Your a fool.
You must be the only Zanoid who still thinks
there were any sanctions to speak of.
The sanctions targeted Zim Defense and Military,
plus the Looters Cartel, nothing else.
YOU DO THE RESEARCH fool!
The reason there was no advance during the GNU, was
because your idiot Leader blocked, stalled, derailed
and generally ruined any chance of partnership.
Zim still managed to be better off during the coalition.
So, go protect someone and something else, not this
‘public’, we are too smart for you…..
new zimbabwe is a zanu mouthpiece – that’s all that needs to be said about this article.
Even if there was Sanctions Zimbabwe should have never fallen to the level it did. In other words the Smith regime turned to local product and manufacture during their Sanctions. They soon found themselves actually benefiting and being self sufficient in food production, in the textile industry and in other parts of the economy. They didn’t have diamonds and they didn’t have Iran and China to help them out. They only had South Africa which was buying finished products, coke, chrome and coal from them. They didn’t steal money. They didn’t have power cuts. They supported their industry. They mixed their ethanol with the little fuel they were getting and kept their bus fleets on the road. The shops were full of products that were marked Made in the country. What has Mugabe’s regime achieved? All they done was dismantle all the good things a Put up white Elephants like the Dam that caused the disaster. He even dismantled what would have been his legacy EDUCATION FOR ALL that is after all those schools that were put into place after 1980.
Good comment Doc, say itlike it really is and people need to look at the government diasters in Africa…What a shame!
I wonder Doc if what you said is balanced for
Publicprotector. I don’t see how a man can tell
people how he defeated sanctions when he personally
put the country where it is. Of course him and his
crew that have looted have defeated sanctions for
them personally. He put us where we are. Not the
West not the East, not the South, not the North
but him.
This buffoon bleats about defeating something that was never significant in the first place. Strange kind of victory given 90% unemployment and the virtual collapse of a once prosperous country.
This has to be a gathering of idiots bent on wasting their poor countries’ meager resources.
If the “sanctions,” have been defeated, then there’s no more excuses for the current poor performance by government… right?
Yup! Seems like the Mad Bob has shot himself in the foot – again.
Exactly….no more talk of sanctions!!!!!
what you saying then, that sanctions were defeated as the song from HE say. so why is he not moving the economy forward? so wharton is right, with or without sanction, the country is mismanaged. i personally observed things improving under unity gvt
Spot on DL….. of course you can’t defeat anything if it doesn’t even exist in the first place. I bet the delegates in Bolivia were either avoiding the despot like the plague…or….falling over with laughter at his village idiot theatrics. Hilarious
It’s easy to defeat an illusory enemy that never really was. Zimbabwe’s sanctions were always very narrowly targeted. We all know that. It amazes me that Bob continues making statements that only he and his few cronies believe. A reminder to us all that self-delusion is always knocking at the door especially if you have the arrogance of our present leaders.
Congratulations Dear Revolutionary Leader for comprehensively defeating the illegal sanctions! Does that mean that from now on you will stop blaming them for your misrule?
There is no chance of that happening
It’s called geriatric megalomania
zanupf fear me – hey they would have to wake him up first. Probably snored through all the meetings.
Mugabe must retire today.
Bob and the wailers continue to amaze us all. He and sundry do not want any advice from anyone but go on holiday jaunts crying foul of western countries then tomorrow is crying for aid from the very same hated countries. Talk about Dementia.
Congradulations! Don’t blame the western contries again, but these are the so called targeted sanctions uye anotemerwa nyange smith murungu,bother chero mugabe .vamugabe vanofunga kuti hatizivi chokwadi . smith’s economy remained afloat even under sanctions, why not mugabe.
Where does this man calling himself President live? Cloud cuckoo land?? Judgment awaits. God is watching. You have defeated nothing but you have destroyed your land and slain your people. Repent and turn or a terrible judgment awaits. Our politicians have sold their souls to the devil. Be warned!
So now that’s out the way i wonder which entity will be the next to take the blame for the utter destruction that has been taking place in Zimbabwe. Because nothing has changed on the ground still the civil servants are still to be paid! Business is still shrinking unemployment is still climbing, food is definitely still short those farmers who have contributed to Zimbabwe’s food security are still going broke and the tree’s continue to be cut. And the most important the tax base from structured business is shrinking!
The only thing he has defeated is a great country.These dimwitted tirades only serve as warnings that he and his sycophantic jackals are getting desperate and cornered. They grow more rabid by the day. An uprising would be suicide,diamonds traded for massive arms caches would enable them do what they do best, slaughter whoever gets in their way. They are waiting for such foolhardy actions, but We CANNOT do nothing.
we need a coordinated, massive and prolonged boycott:
Those who have money do not bank it.
cease paying money to any government entity.
Stock up on rations and just stay at home.
Reduce the pathetic trickle of cash to absolute zero.
By doing nothing and spending nothing we could speed up the inevitable, TOTAL meltdown. What could they do?
The time for praying and postulating is over.
What have we done to deserve these utter utter fools!!
Good luck dont turn around and tell us something else within two months
when will that translate to food on my table and fees for my kids
well done bob, now will you step aside?
Get a life RGM