Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Member of Parliament for Glen View south, Vincent Tsvangirai has moved away from his party position after admitting that economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the west are hurting ordinary people.
The MDC has insisted on corruption and not sanctions as the reason behind the country’s economic crisis.
Responding to oral evidence presented by an organisation named Broad Alliance Against Sanctions who petitioned parliament over the western embargo, Tsvangirai said whilst there may be proposals for the Patriotic Act there was need to protect citizens.
The group has been campaigning for a Patriotic Act to deal with those perceived to have invited the restrictive measures but Tsvangirai said it was not necessary to go that route.
“My fear is that it (Patriotic Act) may sound good to put an act like that, for one, I am a patriotic person who believes that sanctions do hurt ordinary persons but at the same time making an act like that I believe sometimes you may end up opening citizens to further harm.
“There are other ways like you said they are targeted sanctions correct, we want to find out who are the targeted people on those sanctions. Then are they economic sanctions and what are they dealing with those economic sanctions (sic). I believe they should go in this day and age they don’t help anything if you look at every other countries out there in the world. Look at all the statistics that are out there they don’t help with anything, you may target one person but that person is never targeted and that person will continue with their lives,” said Tsvangirai
He was however, quick to say whilst sanctions must go there are multiple wrongs happening in the country.
“At the same time there are multiple wrongs happening in this country and those cannot be avoided as well. I do feel for the ordinary people that are getting hurt at the same time let us not rush as if things are not happening in the country” he said
Tsvangirai is son to founding president of the country’s main opposition MDC.
