By Margaret Kamba 

"The New Dispensation has put a totally different approach to the sanctions," says political analyst Dr Davison Gomo.

This month SADC joins Zimbabwe in calling for the removal of sanctions with the day set aside for the 25th of October annually.

Zimbabwe was slapped with the illegal sanctions after it embarked on the Land Reform Programme which saw many landless black majority subsequently becoming masters of their destiny. To date many people young and old are producing huge yields and surpassing targets reached by the white farmers.

"We are close to that time when Zimbabwe, in association with all countries in SADC, are about to commemorate the imposition of sanctions by western world principally led by America and the United Kingdom. What needs to be made very clear is that the Americans and the British have never had a cause or a reason at all to impose sanctions of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe has never had to owe anyone anything. The punishment is undeserved and unjustified. "

Dr Gomo added that the West has always peddled the falsehood that the Zimbabwe government has misused the country hence needed to be punished through the sanctions.

"With respect to Zimbabwe what is very poignant is that the Americans have recruited local political outlets to front for them this narrative leaving Zimbabweans to fend for themselves under very difficult conditions," he said.

"But what has happened is that everyone now understands that the decision was absurd and unacceptable and should not be maintained. What has also happened with these sanctions 20 plus years on is that the emergence of the New Dispensation has begun to put across a totally different approach, a narrative to the sanctions."

Dr Gomo said the engagement and re-engagement policy and Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra has seen the country not only working with other countries but "creating alternatives to avoid the negative impact of the sanctions on Zimbabwe."