Zimbabwe has protested against the United States decision to add its ambassador to Tanzania on its list of sanctions.
The U.S. placed Anselem Sanyatwe on the sanctions list for his alleged involvement in “gross violations of human rights”.
Sanyatwe, the former head of the presidential guard is accused of commanding troops that opened fire on protestors who were dissatisfied with the delayed release of presidential results last year.
“The Department has credible information that Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe was involved in the violent crackdown against unarmed Zimbabweans during post-election protests on August 1, 2018 that resulted in six civilian deaths,” the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.
In response, the Zimbabwean ministry of foreign affairs said it had summoned the U.S. ambassador to the country, Brian Nichols, to “express its dissatisfaction” with the sanctions imposed on Sanyatwe.
“Washington’s decision is regrettable because it comes at a time when the government is stepping up its efforts to carry out political and economic reforms,” including measures to be taken following the recommendations made by a commission of inquiry into the deaths of demonstrators, the Zimbabwean ministry of foreign affairs said.
Zimbabwe saw a change regime for the first time in 37 years after Robert Mugabe resigned from the presidency in November 2017.
Emmerson Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe on an interim capacity before winning the July 2018 election to become the country’s third president.
