Western Nations In Stampede to Normalize Relations With Zimbabwe

Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young meets with President Robert Mugabe of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Young says he wants Washington to normalize relations with Harare., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Western nations in stampede to normalise relations with Zim

Monday, 22 April 2013 00:00
Zimbabwe Herald
Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

Recent overtures by the US government and other Western nations to normalise relations with Zimbabwe show that Zimbabwe has won the war against the illegal sanctions imposed by the countries over a decade ago.

This was said by former Zimbabwe’s ambassador to China and Zanu-PF official Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa during belated independence celebrations held at Mabvuku Hall on Saturday.

Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters that thronged the venue in the party’s Chitepo District, Cde Mutsvangwa said the US and its Western allies have realised that they were losing out on various opportunities in Zimbabwe by the continued existence of the sanctions.

“The US government and their allies have now accepted that Zimbabwe is a sovereign country and are now making efforts to re-engage with President Mugabe. This shows that we have won the war against the illegal sanctions that were imposed by these countries on us.

“Last week they (US government) sent an envoy to President Mugabe to find ways of normalising relations and this is an open admission that they realise that President Mugabe and Zanu-PF will win the next elections.

“They are seeing how partnerships we have entered with the Chinese and other Asian nations are bearing fruits and now realise that they are being left behind,” he said.

Last week the US State Department sent the country’s former ambassador to the UN Mr Andrew Young to seek resumption of normal ties with Zimbabwe.

“The US envoy only came and met President Mugabe and did not meet Morgan Tsvangirai or any other political leader because they now know that Zanu-PF and its President will win the elections.

“They know that our leader (President Mugabe) is a principled man and an icon to many Africans,” Cde Mutsvangwa said.

He said the battle that remained was to fully utilise resources that have been afforded the generality of Zimbabweans through Zanu PF’s empowerment initiatives.

“We fought the whites to reclaim not only to regain our freedom but also our God given resources.

“We embarked on the land reform programme and now we are indigenising the whole economy especially our minerals so the war that we are left with now is to fully utilise these resources,” he said.

The party was organised by prospective Zanu-PF candidate for Mabvuku-Tafara, Cde Goodwills Masimirembwa and Cde Mutsvangwa urged Zanu-PF supporters to vote for him in the party’s primary elections.

“Cde Masimirembwa has been with you through the thick and thin and when the dates for primary elections are announced I urge you to vote for him. You were given fake promises by previous MDC-T legislators and this time I hope you will realise that Zanu-PF is the only party that has the wishes of the people at heart,” Cde Mutsvangwa said.
Cde Masimirembwa said he organised the party to celebrate the empowerment that had been initiated by Zanu-PF.

“The message we had today was that it is 33 years of Uhuru and of economic empowerment. It is 33 years of taking our land . . . As Zimbabweans, we will never be a colony again.

“We just want to thank President Mugabe for the various empowerment programmes that he has initiated for us,” he said.

Man of the moment Jah Prayzah provided entertainment for the people that attended.