The Zimbabwe government on Friday protested against US sanctions imposed against its current ambassador to Tanzania, reported Africa News.
The White House placed Anselem Sanyatwe, a former Zimbabwean army general, on its sanctions list on Thursday for his alleged role in the repression of a post-election demonstration that killed six civilians a year ago.
The US state department said the targeted sanctions against Sanyatwe were due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights. The U.S. statement says it has credible information that Sanyatwe was involved in the incident and that the government of Zimbabwe had held no member of the security forces accountable for the acts of violence.
Sanyatwe is accused of leading the soldiers who opened fire on demonstrators in August last year when they were protesting against a delay in the publication of the results of the presidential election won by Emmerson Mnangagwa. Six people were killed and 35 injured in the firing.
In an official statement, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it had summoned Brian Nichols, United States Ambassador to Harare, to express dissatisfaction with the sanctions imposed on Sanyatwe.
“Washington’s decision is regrettable because it comes at a time when the government is stepping up its efforts to carry out political and economic reforms,” the Zimbabwean ministry said in the statement.
Zimbabwe government spokesman Nick Mangwana expressed “strong displeasure” at the US decision to impose sanction saying it undermined Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.
He said the action was “posturing meant to fan divisions rather than initiate national healing and understanding”.
Sanyatwe is the first Zimbabwean to be sanctioned by the United States since the fall of Robert Mugabe in November 2017. He was recently appointed Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Tanzania. Sanyatwe and his wife are now barred from traveling to the U.S.
