Jonathan Moyo Denies Claims of Zimbabwe Sanctions Removal

Jonathan Moyo, a former cabinet minister who is in exile, has rejected the idea that there are no sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. He has dismissed claims that the clarification made by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) that it is not under sanctions, and neither are Zimbabwe’s imports, exports or gold trade, is proof that there are no sanctions on Zimbabwe. Moyo called this propaganda and desperate.

This statement comes after the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), led by Nelson Chamisa, accused Zimbabwe of lying and called for an end to lobbying on false grounds. In response, RBZ Governor John Mangudya issued a lengthy statement refuting the “sensational, wild, false, and malicious media reports” about an upcoming Al Jazeera documentary that alleges the apex bank is involved in money laundering and is a “laundromat” for the “gold mafia” in southern Africa.

While defending the integrity of the RBZ, Mangudya attacked the claim that the bank is involved in “sanctions-busting” activities that help criminal networks affiliated with Zimbabwe’s ruling elite convert dirty cash into gold for sale around the world.

“The bank is not a sanctioned entity and the cited individuals are not sanctioned persons either,” Mangudya said in his statement, referring to several businesspeople and officials named in the documentary including gold dealers Ewan Macmillan, Henrietta Rushwaya, Kamlesh Pattni and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambassador at large, Uebert Angel.

The governor added: “There are no sanctions on Zimbabwean exports and imports, including trade in gold to warrant Zimbabwe to circumvent international sanctions through illicit trade in gold. As such, the claim that there is a scheme to bust international sanctions using illicit ways shows beyond doubt that the peddlers of this narrative have a sinister agenda with nefarious objectives of tarnishing both the bank and the Republic of Zimbabwe.”

For the past two decades, the ruling Zanu PF party has claimed unilateral sanctions by the European Union and the United States on certain individuals and arms companies have derailed the country’s development and wreaked havoc on the country’s economy, which those countries deny.

CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said with his angry statement, Mangudya had let slip that the sanctions narrative was all propaganda.

“Today, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has announced that there are no sanctions on Zimbabwean imports and exports,” Mahere said. “The real problem in Zimbabwe is corruption and bad governance. No need to lobby on lies any longer.”

In rebutting the notion of no sanctions, Prof Moyo said:

“It’s desperate propaganda to claim that RBZ’s clarification that it is not a sanctioned entity, neither are Zim imports/exports, including trade in gold, is govt’s confirmation that there are no sanctions on Zim.

“RBZ is not govt & Zim sanctions are #Zdera, not international!”

“And #Zdera sanctions are not on RBZ or Zim imports/exports or trade in gold; imposed to reverse land reform, they hike Zim’s sovereign risk & cost of doing biz, scuttle debt relief & access to concessionary finance to the detriment of the economy, Zim lives and livelihoods!”