By Wallace Mawire
The Citizens Against Economic Sanctions (CAES) in Zimbabwe has achieved a significant milestone being fully registered as a Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) under the PVO Act Chapter 17:05,according to Martin Zharare, Executive Director.
Zharare thanked Zimbabwe President, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa for his unwavering support and approval to the government’s commitment to empowering its citizens and promoting development through the organization. He also thanked the selfless leadership of CAES, it’s national executive members, provincial chairmen from all 10 provinces of the country, district, ward, village leaders and CAES members throughout the country whom he said have built the anti sanctions organization from scratch.
He urged the members to continue mobilizing and bringing more people to the organization until everyone in the country is reached and made aware of the dangers of sanctions to people brainwashed by American propaganda. The organization is intensifying its efforts and awareness as the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations on 25 October 2025 get closer. Zharare said as a registered PVO, CAES is now mandated to embark on a developmental trajectory, bringing development and empowerment programmes to the people of Zimbabwe affected by what he said are illegal, punitive and coercive sanctions imposed by America under the ZiDERA Act of 2000.
“We can no longer afford to just cry out against sanctions, it’s time to put our hands together and bust them through working with our hands in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and any other endeavour that empowers our people. We have everything we need to succeed.,”Zharare said.
He said CAES has already begun impl projects that will make a tangible impact on the lives of Zimbabwe citizens. He said in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZlNWA), the organization is undertaking massive projects in water provision to the people of Zimbabwe.
Zharare said boreholes are being drilled to bring water to vulnerable communities affected by sanctions in regions which are dry. He said CAES has started the borehole drilling projects in Matebeleland North, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Masvingo provinces of Zimbabwe under the drought mitigation programme. Zharare said more than 67 boreholes have been drilled through the cooperation of his organization and communities. He said in the health sector, they are working with partners to bring products and services that make health of citizens a top priority. In the educational sector, Zharare said they are coming to children with programmes that are both informative and educational.
He said they have Mobilises hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans to be aligned with the vision and ideology of Zimbabwe, strengthening the roots of government and the ruling ZANU (PF) party. He said they are intensifying and continuing with the anti sanctions awareness programmes nationally.
Zharare said every year SADC commemorates on October 25 as the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, standing in solidarity with Zimbabwe in calling for the unconditional removal of illegal economic sanctions imposed by America. Zharare said they are now preparing for this year’s Commemorations, visiting all 10 provinces if the country to prepare citizens for the day which will be commemorated in all the 10 provinces.
Zharare said CAES has been collecting signatures for an anti-sanctions day commemorations event in the city of Bulawayo. He said they aim to present the petition, signed by at least one million Zimbabweans to the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guiteres at this year’s UN General Assembly in New York, declaring the desire of the ordinary Zimbabweans to have the sanctions totally and unconditionally removed.