Harare, Mar 28 (IANS): Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the US government made its recent decision to extend sanctions against Zimbabwe on the basis of misinformation by opposition parties which are afraid of losing the upcoming elections.

Last week, the US 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 on Tuesday told magazine Africa Report on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum held on March 26-27 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, that the US 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, Xinhua reported.

"When you look at what they are saying, you realise 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," New Ziana news agency quoted Mnangagwa as saying.

Leaders of the opposition MDC Alliance travelled to the US 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.