Former Minister in former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s office, Sylvester Nguni was yesterday removed from the United States-Zimbabwe sanctions list.
Nguni, who is now a senior member of the Zimbabwe People First party which is headed by his former boss Mujuru, served for some time as Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
He was expelled from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front in December last year for allegedly supporting Mujuru, who was also expelled from the party after being accused of trying to topple President Robert Mugabe.
There are still more than 100 individuals and firms under the United States sanctions list which are reviewed every year.
The United States will have a new President Donald Trump from 20 January.
Zimbabwe says it is ready to work with Trump and hopes he will restore sound relations between Harare and Washington.
But Trump threatened to lock up Mugabe and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni when he assumes power.
“I want to reiterate here before America’s greatest heroes that I will not condone any dictatorial tendencies exhibited by dictators around the world especially the two old men from Zimbabwe and Uganda”, he was quoted as saying.
“Mugabe and Museveni must be put on notice that their days are numbered and that I am going to arrest them and lock them in prison. If the past American administrations have failed to stop these two despots, I will personally do it.
“Mugabe and Museveni have given the world enough troubles and it’s about time someone puts to an end all these madness for peace to prevail.
“If Obama fears them, I will never fear them. If Clinton and Bush feared them, if the Pope kneels before them, I will never be reduced to that level. I will never be cowed. I promise to clean all the political mess around the world and promote international justice,” Trump said.
