The anti-sanctions demonstrations come after SADC, during its 39th Ordinary Summit held in Tanzania in August, declared October 25 as the solidarity day against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa is expected to address the main gathering that also includes opposition parties under Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) who have thrown their weight behind the event.

The US and EU sanctions on Zimbabwe are illegal and unjustified because they violate Article 41 of the United Nations Charter, which states that sanctions can only be decided by the UN Security Council. Any unilateral measures taken by an individual state without the authorisation of UNSC resolution are illegal in nature because they infringe upon States’ right to economic and social development.

The anti-sanctions initiative is captured in the SADC Communique released following the Heads of State and Government Summit held at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania,on the 17thand 18thAugust 2019. Below are Articles 15 and 16 that speak to sanctions:

15. Summit noted the adverse impact on the economy of Zimbabwe and the region at large, of prolonged economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, and expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe,and called for the immediate lifting of the sanctions to facilitate socio-economic recovery in the country.
16. Summit declared the 25th October as the date on which SADC Member States can collectively voice their disapproval of the sanctions through various activities and platforms until the sanctions are lifted.