Zimbabwe today, October 25, observes the annual SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, a powerful show of regional solidarity established by the 39th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2019.
The day serves as the culmination of October's Anti-Sanctions Month, an initiative to collectively denounce and call for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe for over two decades.
Leading the charge for immediate action is Hustlers4ED, a prominent grouping of entrepreneurs who have unequivocally called for the sanctions' removal.
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Speaking on behalf of the group, entrepreneur Hustlers4ED Harare Provincial Chairperson Lovejoy Chogugudza stressed that the punitive measures disproportionately harm the general populace, not the country's leadership.
"Sanctions are inhuman, barbaric, and it is a genocide to the people of Zimbabwe," Chogugudza stated passionately. He specifically called for the strongest possible denunciation of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA), the 2001 United States law that he says cut Zimbabwe off from international credit, blocked investment flows, and slowed industrial growth. "We have suffered enough as Zimbabwe," he added.
Chogugudza applauded the government's efforts in the face of these challenges, noting the Second Republic's resilience under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. "President Emmerson Mnangagwa has shown enough resilience developing our country and we really applaud him," he said.
The government's "engagement and re-engagement thrust" and "friend of all and enemy to none" policy, along with alliances with progressive nations, are cited as bearing fruit across the country, with several infrastructure projects unfolding.
Despite the hurdles, the nation’s economic growth trajectory is gaining international recognition. Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have projected a robust six percent growth rate for Zimbabwe this year, demonstrating the country’s inherent resilience even under the burden of sanctions.
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