Mugabe’s nephew, ‘Leo’ added to US sanctions list while Mugabe and his Cabinet require a special dispensation to travel to the US.

The Zanu PF leader’s nephew, Leo Mugabe is the only new name on the list.

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) yesterday said some State-owned enterprises such as ZB Financial Holdings and its subsidiaries and the Industrial Development Corporation, as well as fertiliser manufacturer, ZFC had been removed from the sanctions list.

Notable individuals, who had their names removed from the list include Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba’s wife, Rudo, former Midlands governor, Cephas Msipa, former Education minister, Aeneas Chigwedere, the late former secretary to the President and Cabinet, Charles Utete and Zanu PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo’s wife, Ever.

Also removed from the list are Commander of the Defence Forces Constantino Chiwenga’s former wife, Jocelyn and Mugabe’s late sister, Sabina.

The list still includes former Vice-President and opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader, Joice Mujuru and her allies Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.
Mujuru was stampeded out of the ruling party towards the end of 2014 on allegations of plotting to dethrone Mugabe.

In March 2003, then US President George W Bush signed Executive Order 13288, “blocking the property of persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe”, after determining that Mugabe and his lieutenants’ “actions and policies undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes, institutions or processes contributing to deliberate breakdown in the rule of law”.

Mugabe and his government stand accused of a litany of rights abuses, poll fraud, as well as being behind the general anarchy that has been the hallmark of his administration particularly since the turn of the millennium.

The 92-year-old leader is now only allowed on neutral United Nations territory in a part of New York that houses the world body’s headquarters, while Cabinet ministers require a special dispensation to travel to the US.

Mugabe and his wife Grace also remain on the European Union’s sanctions list that has since been whittled down following a major shift in policy in the aftermath of the 2013 elections. By Richard Chidza. source-newsday