Harare — Zambia yesterday added its voice to the growing number of countries supporting Zimbabwe's participation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, saying Harare's suspension from the 54-member club of former British colonies expired in March.

Outgoing Zambian High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Mr Dingiswayo Banda said the decision of the majority members of the troika of Zimbabwe to lift Zimbabwe's suspension should be respected.

Mr Banda was speaking to reporters soon after bidding farewell to President Mugabe at his Munhumutapa Offices, marking the end of his tour of duty in Zimbabwe.

"We take it that Zimbabwe has already been admitted since the last decision of the troika. That is the position that Zambia holds and maintains," he said.

Last week, Uganda and Malaysia, two Commonwealth members, criticised the continued suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth saying this was undemocratic.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's special envoy Professor Mondo Kagonyera said Zimbabwe had done nothing wrong nor faulted any of the rules of the Commonwealth.

Malaysia also took a swipe at the Common-wealth saying the troika comprising of South Africa, Nigeria and Australia should not be the only group to address the Zimbabwean issue.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo flew into Harare on Monday and held separate talks with President Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

He said he was having consultations in the region over Zimbabwe's participation at the December Commonwealth meeting in Nigeria.

The consultations follow divisions in the Commonwealth on whether or not Harare should be invited to CHOGM.

Australia, Britain and New Zealand have said they will boycott the Abuja meeting if Zimbabwe is invited while African, Asian and Caribbean countries want Harare's suspension lifted.

Zimbabwe maintains that its suspension fell away after the expiry of the one-year period in March when the majority of the members of the troika - Nigeria and South Africa - voted that the suspension be lifted.

Mr Banda, who was posted to Zimbabwe in April 1997, yesterday paid a courtesy call on President Mugabe to bid him farewell.

He expressed his gratitude to President Mugabe for his stay in the country and reiterated his country's support to the land reform programme.

A former United National Independence Party (Unip) member, Mr Banda resigned from his party and joined the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy in 1995.

He has always been steadfast in supporting the country's empowerment policies during his tenure and criticised the European Union for interfering in the Zambian election of 2001, which saw Mr Levy Mwanawasa being elected president, defeating opposition leader Mr Anderson Mazoka.

He attacked foreign Western election observers saying they come to Africa with a biased mentality. He said African observers should observe African elections.

Mr Banda said he was going to retire from government and dedicate his time to writing memoirs.