The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Mnaku Mbani
23 April 2008
President Jakaya Kikwete faces another Herculean task as chairman of the African Union (AU) after a resolve by civil societies around the continent to petition him this week to act over the looming political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Led by the East Africa Law Society (EALS), the 105 undersigned representatives of civil societies from 21 countries in Africa met in Dar es Salaam on Monday and resolved to petition the AU chairman to face Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe over the political crisis.
Human rights bodies and Zimbabwe's opposition MDC have said post-election violence has displaced 3,000 people, injured 500 and left at least 20 dead.
They also reported that they have found camps where people are being tortured by the army and President Mugabe sympathisers for having voted "the wrong way".
"We call on the African Union to protect Zimbabweans from the military and paramilitary retribution against innocent communities for having voted Mr Mugabe out of office.
The state sponsored violence against the people for exercising their democratic rights must be condemned at the highest level of the AU," read part of a statement released by EALS yesterday.
The civil society also wants results of the ongoing vote recount in Zimbabwe not to be recognised, the anticipated run-off called off and the parties to stick to the March 29 presidential election results, which are yet to be announced.
Amid apparent dilly-dallying by Southern African Development Community (Sadc) appointed mediator South African President Thabo Mbeki over the issue, the civil society also wants the AU to appoint an independent high level Pan-African panel of eminent persons to resolve the post election crisis.
"The entire mediation process lacks, transparency, neutrality, openness and consultation.
The Sadc elected mediator has shown clear bias to the incumbent government and he should be removed from the mediation process.
There is currently a blocked process with Zanu PF attempting to stay in power through coercion.
There is intimidation, arrests, torture and killing of opposition supporters, civil society activists and lawyers and this is a miscarriage of justice and further undermines the fundamental principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights," the statement says.
The statement also condemned the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the judiciary headed by retired senior army officials as a biased, infiltrated and, therefore discredited institutions, whose sympathy for President Mugabe is well documented.
It also said President Kikwete should be consistent with Article 4 of the African Union Constitutive Act that provides for the "right of the Union to intervene in a Member State pursuant to a decision of the Assembly in respect of grave circumstances" such as war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
According to the statement, the purchase of firearms by President Mugabe from China at such a time was something the AU must be concerned about.
Sadc chair Zambian President Levi Mwanawasa has also urged other African leaders not to allow a ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe to enter their territorial waters.
This follows the refusal by South Africa and Mozambique to dock the ship carrying millions of rounds of ammunition bought by President Mugabe from China.
The Chinese vessel was said to be bound for Angola but the US is reported to be pressuring port authorities there and in Namibia not to allow them to dock.
Mr Mwanawasa said the tension in Zimbabwe, following last month's disputed elections, should not be allowed to escalate further.
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One thing that has made African Heads of State to look the other way in the Zimbawean crisis is that they have too much cobwebs in the their cabinets to take any serious action. Presidents Campore of Burkina Faso, Paul Biya of Camemaroun, Yaya Jammeh of Gambia, Hosni Mubrak of Egpyt, Bouteflika of Algeria, Gadaffi of Libya and Ben of Tunisia have all hijacked democracies in their countries and the AU has not been able to persuade these men to give up and practise "proper" democracy. So what is the justification for any of our African Heads of State to reprimand Mugabe for trying to stay in power after 28 years and almost 85 years in age. This is Africa for you. When other nations are making strides, we in Africa are peddling backwards because of our selfish leaders who think they have been ordined by God to rule their countries for ever. African leaders, please take the log in your own eye before you can see properly to remove that of others.
Oh Britian, may the living God expose the lies that you tell via the media and these NGOs whose prerogative it is to tow the line in your culture of talking heads riddled with lies, unfounded rumours and gossip. In this generation, if you think for a second that Africa's spiritual leaders will allow the people to be fooled by your antics, your government has another thing coming. We will pray for and protect our young people from becoming pawns and slaves in your economic system.
How can you report about an alleged ZANU-PF order placed for an arms shipment without evidence?
Let the very curses of your doings ruin you!! In other words, for all of the evil this corrupt nation (Britain) has caused in Africa, may the living God revisit every judgment on your government and its royal household in this season. You will now begin to see these judgments manifesting in YOUR ECONOMICS, YOUR POLITICS, and YOUR SOCIAL RELATIONS. In this generation, the LYING BRITISH and their global establishment of deceit will COME TUMBLING DOWN. God is wathcing...USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, UK...just watch and see.
Let the prophets of the generation speak the judgments of the Most High God.
allew,
You accused the Brits of lying about the Chinese arms headed for Zimbabwe because they provided no evidence to back up their claim. Don't you see though that by not giving the truth as you know it, backed by evidence, you too are doing the exact thing you accuse them of doing? What do you know about the 'alleged' arms shipment?
allew609, people like you don't deserve to be given space on this media to voice your unfounded hatred for Britain.What have English-speaking African countries done since independence?Just going backwards.Is that work of Britain or their despotic leaders?Oh allew609 I pray that the curse you have called upon Britain will be the reverse to you.
konk you are painting the whole of Africa with one brush, over an issue (Zimbabwe) that is being addressed by SADC countries. Sorry, just because they are not following your timetable does not mean that nothing is being done. Or just because they disagree with your approach or other white anglos, does not in any way or shape imply lack of progress. Whites like you like to push your agendas on Africa and other regions to use for your own populations. Acting fast does not necessary mean solving the problem. Kenya is slowly be surely being stabilized by African leaders..No Briton involved. Zimbabwe's problems will be addressed as well. USA and UK quickly invaded Iraq without real facts..and look what is going on there..Naked savage white murderers..You have achieved nothing!Yaaahhhh you removed Saddam..and your populations thought it was the best for Iraq.The results is you have produced more terrorist than ever before. By the way Africa has some of the most democratic nations in the world. Countries like Botswana, Zambia are up there. Rwanda and South Africa have more women in gov't than the UK or USA.
Its not surprising that The ZANU PF party do not want Mugabe to leave. I will tell you why. Mugabe was clever enough to choose criminals to hold important posts inorder that; if they ever turn against him he will send them to court. That is why Simba Makoni was able to turn away because he has no criminal record.The rest have crimes ranging from murder, corruption etc
It appears that some African Heads of states and politicians have turned a blind eye on Zimbabwean issue.How on earth can an election result be recount which has never been publicised or revealed to the public.How can a person insisst on a re-run and recount without announcing the results to the people of Zimbabwe and while the election Commission is tight lip on the results.It appears to me that some people are aware of the results and is now very desperate for the consequences. President Mbeki is always seen walking in hands with President Mugabe but never with Mr.Morgan Tsivangerai.To us the outsiders it gives a clear message that he is sided with President Mugabe and must be removed as a mediator. He did not even give a progress report on the mediation process so far to the SADC and other African countries. Africa is like a human body with many body parts and whatever affects the lives of the Zimbabwean sons and daughters affects us all in Africa.What i want from our African leaders is to acknowledge the potential in young African leaders and make room for them. It will be good if each leader could step down after his or her one or two terms in peace and let the next leader take over. Elections in Africa is no longer a pleasnat activity but rather a blood shed and hatred and i don`t know for what reason. Politicians should start concentrating on mentoring programmes for young ploticians and prepare them for the next generation. Some of the things happening now are killing the good history which some of the Presidents has built and people sometimes remember only the last thing.The best is for Preisdent Mugabe to endorse Mr.Tsivangerai as the new President and to mentor him on Presidency and be an example to other African leaders in Africa. Mandela once said to Mr. Mbeki that Buthelezi is one of the great leaders you can get and was acting in the office. When a man is gifted than we must know that it comes from God and not from man. Give Mr. Tsivangerai a chance and let us watch him how him how runs the goverment and advise and guide him he is an African son.The Caspirs and colonialism will never ever return to Africa we are more knowlegeable than ever before. We know the truth about Africa history and i wish to get an opportunity in my own country Namibia to lead the people of my country in whatever capacity i will be afforded if God wants me to. We must understand that politics change and grow.One party can not be in ruling for lifetime things will change one day, what is important is that we African stay united forever.May God the Father Jahova bless our leaders with supernatural wisedom as He blessed King Salomo. Son of Africa from Swakopmund.