President Mnangagwa says US misinformed about situation in Zimbabwe

HARARE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Tuesday the United States government made its recent decision to extend sanctions against Zimbabwe on the basis of misinformation by local opposition parties which are afraid of losing the forthcoming general elections.

The U.S. last week extended its decades long sanctions against Zimbabwe, imposed in protest over Harare's land reforms in which white-owned farms were taken over to resettle landless peasants, and perceived misgoverning and human rights violations.

Mnangagwa told magazine Africa Report on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum held on March 26-27 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, that the U.S. senators Jeff Flake and Chris Coons, who proposed the amendments to the sanctions law, would establish the truth on their proposed visit to Zimbabwe soon.

"When you look at what they are saying, you realize they are not informed. They are just reading the text of the opposition who are afraid of these elections and they are making those demands," state news agency New Ziana quoted Mnangagwa as saying.

Leaders of the opposition MDC Alliance travelled to the United States soon after the installation of Mnangagwa as the new leader of Zimbabwe to press for the continued imposition of the sanctions.

Mnangagwa said the senators would have the opportunity to meet with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as well as go round the country to establish if it was true that the army was being involved in election campaigns. Enditem