Staff ReporterThe United States recently announced sanctions on the son of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as well as the wife and associates of business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei and two companies, Fossil Agro and Fossil Contracting.
The sanctions also included the removal of 17 individuals from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN), stating that they “were found no longer to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes and institutions or to otherwise meet the criteria for designation.”
Among those removed were former ministers Ignatius Chombo, Nicholas Goche, and Jason Machaya, as well as the wife of former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono and the daughter of former cabinet minister and current Zanu PF Finance head Patrick Chinamasa.
In response, Chinamasa expressed outrage on Twitter at the inclusion of his 13-year-old daughter in the sanctions and accused the US of not following its own principles on human rights. The US stated that the sanctions are not meant to be permanent but are intended to encourage changes in behavior and are subject to review. The US also called on the Zimbabwean government to address corruption and ensure free and fair elections in the lead up to the 2023 elections.
