The United States has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, citing corruption and human rights abuses. The sanctions also target other senior leaders, blocking their assets in the US and preventing them from traveling there.

The new sanctions replace a broader program introduced two decades ago. The White House stated, “We continue to witness gross abuses of political, economic, and human rights.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited “multiple cases of abductions, physical abuse, and unlawful killing” in Zimbabwe, saying people there are “living in fear.”

The sanctions target not only President Mnangagwa but also First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri, and others. The US has lifted restrictions on individuals previously sanctioned.

Zimbabwe’s government criticized the sanctions, calling them “illegal.” President Mnangagwa’s ruling party described the move as a “great vindication” of his foreign policy but noted that the sanctions remain a burden on the country’s development.

The US first imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in the early 1990s, targeting then-President Robert Mugabe and other officials for undermining democracy. Other countries, including the UK and EU members, have also sanctioned Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa has previously blamed economic sanctions for hindering development in Zimbabwe.