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Zimbabwe: Kenya Calls for African Union to Suspend Mugabe
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SW Radio Africa (London)
30 June 2008
Posted to the web 30 June 2008
Tichaona Sibanda
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday called for the suspension of Robert Mugabe from the African Union, until he allows a "free and fair" election.
But reports from Egypt suggest African leaders discussing the Zimbabwe crisis favour a power-sharing deal, modelled on the one which ended the bloody post-election crisis in Kenya earlier this year.
Odinga told a press conference in Nairobi that 'Mugabe should be suspended until he allows the AU to facilitate free and fair elections,' adding that the AU will be setting a dangerous precedent if Mugabe is allowed to participate in it's meetings. The African Union has a rule not to accept leaders who have not been democratically elected, but observers say it is unlikely the AU will immediately take strong action against Mugabe.
The AU summit is expected to issue a communique late on Monday, following a closed door session that has been going on since the morning. MDC spokesman George Sibotshiwe said they've proposed to the AU that a special envoy be sent to the country, to assist South African President Thabo Mbeki in his role as the SADC mediator for Zimbabwe.
They stated that the envoy should be based in Harare and must mediate between the MDC and Zanu-PF to create the kind of climate that would assist in curbing the violence in the country, as well as dealing with the humanitarian crisis. MDC regional officer Nqobizitha Mlilo said they're prepared to take part in any talks that may help bring to an end the 10 year crisis.
'Whatever happens, people should recognise the fact that the MDC now controls parliament and that no-one should want to undermine the other because of events after the 29th March elections,' Mlilo said.
A draft communique that forms part of a working document for the Heads of State at the Summit, and seen by journalists in Sharm-el-Sheikh, does not include any direct criticism of Mugabe or of the run-off.
On Monday, South Africa denied widely featured reports that Mbeki had lobbied the AU to recognise Mugabe, saying this was a 'complete fabrication'. Their foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma called for Zanu (PF) and the MDC to enter negotiations for a transitional government to unite the country
Most South African papers reported on Sunday that Mbeki wanted AU leaders, currently attending a summit in Egypt, to recognise Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe after the one-man presidential run-off election on Friday.
Mugabe's decision to go ahead with the election after Tsvangirai's withdrawal due to the extreme state sponsored violence, provoked unprecedented African criticism.
All observer groups that monitored the election have released reports indicating the vote was undermined by the violence and did not reflect the will of the people.
Previous mediation efforts led by Mbeki have consistently failed to solve the crisis. The SADC mediated efforts have taken almost a year but nothing tangible has been done to get Mugabe and Tsvangirai to talk. SADC mandated Mbeki to mediate in between the MDC and Zanu-PF following a government crackdown on the MDC, which resulted in Tsvangirai getting badly injured after state security agents beat him up.
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But the mediation has failed to come up with any solutions due to Mbeki's closeness to Mugabe and that he has personally blocked several United Nations resolutions to act against the 84 year-old leader.
Genocide, corruption and general nasty behaviour!!!! These are the prerequisites for an African leader? Look out South Africa!
I find the repeated quote of Odinga not helpful to Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa. Kenya, has not completely recovered from disputed elections, that saw more people die and moved than in Zimbabwe. Odinga, was also accused of insiting violence! There was a lot of violence in Kenya. It surprises me that those with blood being wiped from their faces should advice those who are bleeding. It is the blind leading the newly blind!
So that means if Odinga thinks it is bad in Zimbabwe, it must be much worse than his own country! Zimbabwe is now the bottom of the barrel and it needs the world to rid it of mugabe and his regime and help rebuild it!
This new kid on the block should to crawl before he runs! Ever since this green freshman came aboard the neo-colonial club of most of Afrakan Statas, he's found to be running wild often making some of the most outrageous and erractic statements possible regarding things he knows little about.
Someone should sit this seemingly clueless vessel down and school him on globalization 101-the reality of competition and international power! Irrational "prime minister" like Kenyan's Raila Odinga, who is proofing himself to be a house slave is such a character we must monitor closely before he gets out of hand.
Do you want Raila to turn the other side as Mugabe is raping and killing the people of Zimbabwe? Yes, many African heads of states are doing just that but that is simply because they have blood in their hands too. I'm beginning to think that Mugabe has been around for so long that most Zimbabweans know nothing other than his cruel rule and are taking it as "normal".
Please try tounderstand the boy Odinga. He could be better if he followed in the steps of his daddy, Odinga Odinga. That was a great man, of the Albert Lithuli, Patrice Lumumba, Hurombo type, Tafawa Balewa type. Hundreds were murdered and displaced from their homes at his behest Odinga is prime minister and thousands of his fellow Kenyans became destitute and homeless. He has NO SHAME.
"Hundreds were murdered and displaced from their homes at his behest Odinga is prime minister and thousands of his fellow Kenyans became destitute and homeless. He has NO SHAME" Sounds VERY familiar...
THank you mfana
Please try tounderstand the boy Odinga. He could be better if he followed in the steps of his daddy, Odinga Odinga. That was a great man, of the Albert Lithuli, Patrice Lumumba, Hurombo type, Tafawa Balewa type. Hundreds were murdered and displaced from their homes at his behest Odinga is prime minister and thousands of his fellow Kenyans became destitute and homeless. He has NO SHAME.
Complete African mentality. One should not comments on another man's situation because his is worse. Odinga cannot comment on Zimbabwe because Kenya is reeling from violence.
It is only in Africa that you hear the phrase: 'country's domestic affairs' even when they are on fire. With such supporters who needs Satan to visit Africa.
We will continue to be the laughing stock of the world.
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