HARARE,
ZIMBABWE
—
Zimbabwe’s
ruling
ZANU-PF
party
is
reacting
angrily
to
a
new
visa
restriction
policy
which
U.S.
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
announced
this
week,
aimed
at
people
accused
of
undermining
democracy
in
the
southern
African
nation.
The
opposition
is
berating
the
United
States
for
the
latest
move.Lawrence
Socha,
spokesperson
at
the
U.S.
Embassy
in
Harare,
told
VOA
that
the
new
visa
restriction
policy
would
affect
individuals
believed
to
be
responsible
for
or
complicit
in
undermining
democracy.
He
said
that
may
include
manipulating
or
rigging
the
electoral
process,
disenfranchising
voters,
restricting
the
work
of
civil
society
organizations,
or
intimidating
voters.
“Such
acts
might
also
include
engaging
in
corruption,
including
bribery
that
undermines
the
electoral
process,
interfering
with
the
independent
operation
of
the
judiciary,
or
abusing
or
violating
human
rights
in
Zimbabwe,”
said
Socha.
“The
visa
restriction
policy
will
apply
to
specific
individuals
involved
in
these
acts,
and
it
is
not
directed
at
the
Zimbabwe
in
people.
The
United
States
supports
Zimbabwe’s
aspirations
to
have
free
and
fair
elections
that
reflect
the
will
of
the
people
and
strengthen
democracy,
the
rule
of
law,
and
the
protection
of
human
rights.”
Zimbabwe’s
August
general
election
was
marred
by
delays
and
shortages
of
materials
in
the
opposition’s
strongholds.
Many
observer
missions
–
including
from
the
Southern
African
Development
Community,
said
the
process
fell
far
short
of
requirements
of
the
country’s
electoral
laws
as
well
as
the
regional
bloc’s
guidelines.
Jonathan
Moyo,
a
former
government
minister
in
Zimbabwe,
says
the
new
restrictions
are
meant
to
make
citizens
revolt
against
their
government
after
the
Zimbabwe
Democracy
and
Economic
Recovery
Act
of
2001,
known
as
ZIDERA,
failed
to
do
so.
Then-U.S.
President
George
W.
Bush
signed
into
law
the
measure
aimed
at
promoting
economic
growth
and
the
rule
of
law.
“An
objective
empirical
assessment
of
this
latest
measure
is
really
an
admission
first
and
foremost
that
ZIDERA
has
failed,
that
the
Americans
have
become
hopeless,
the
Americans,
the
meaning
of
the
American
government,
have
become
jittery,
and
they
now
are
resorting
to
legal
instruments
that
were
there
in
2001
but
now
they
think
they
can
achieve
what
they’ve
failed
to
achieve
through
Zidera,”
said
Moyo.
Farai
Muroiwa
Marapira,
a
ZANU-PF
spokesman,
voiced
agreement
with
Moyo.
“As
ZANU-PF,
we
are
not
surprised
by
this
new
activity
by
the
American
government.
We
all
know
their
intent
on
changing
the
government,”
said
Marapira.
“And
all
their
machinations
having
failed
in
August,
some
tantrums
are
expected
and
this
is
what
is
obtaining.
We
remain
unfazed
and
remain
resolute.
We
hold
on
to
the
words
of
wisdom
from
our
president;
President
ED
Mnangagwa.
We
are
an
enemy
to
none
and
a
friend
to
all
and
our
doors
are
open.”
Moyo
says
he
doubts
the
new
U.S.
visa
restrictions
will
have
any
impact.
However,
Promise
Mkwananzi,
the
spokesman
for
the
country’s
main
opposition
party,
the
Citizens’
Coalition
for
Change,
is
more
hopeful.
“We
note
the
measures
taken
by
the
Americans
against
the
authors
and
sponsors
of
chaos,
illegitimacy
and
illegality
in
Zimbabwe,”
said
Mkwananzi.
“I
think
it
is
important
not
just
for
the
American
government
but
as
well
as
other
governments,
regional
bodies
such
as
SADC
and
others
to
ensure
that
they
put
some
disincentives
against
people
who
would
want
to
undermine
the
will
of
the
people
of
Zimbabwe
and
disrespect
at
the
voice
of
the
Zimbabwean
people,
including
of
course
those
that
are
not
in
ZANU-PF,
but
who
are
complicit
with
the
regime
in
undermining
the
wishes
and
the
will
of
the
people
of
Zimbabwe.”
The
opposition
says
it
is
still
hopeful
that
regional
body
SADC
will
call
for
fresh
polls
following
the
chaos
which
characterized
Zimbabwe’s
August
elections.