Maravi

Zim crisis meeting on

Zim crisis meeting on
By CHARLES MUSONDA

PRESIDENT Mwanawasa today leaves for Tanzania to be among other leaders in the southern African region who will attend an emergency meeting on the political problems in Zimbabwe. State House special assistant for press and public relations, John Musukuma, confirmed this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday. The talks have been called by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to discuss the alleged political and human rights crisis in Zimbabwe.

"Yes, the President is leaving for Tanzania tomorrow (today) but I have not yet confirmed the departure time and other details," Mr Musukuma said. Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, will also attend the meeting, according to Zimbabwe's Herald newspaper. African leaders have been reluctant to criticise Mr Mugabe in public and see him as a hero of the fight against colonial rule.

However, following this month's violence, in which opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was allegedly assaulted by police, there has been a change in tone from some African leaders. Mr Mwanawasa said last week in Namibia during a State visit that he was uncomfortable with the good governance record of Zimbabwe. Before he left for Namibia, President Mwanawasa said SADC would make its position known on the political problems in Zimbabwe after receiving a report from its council of ministers.

Mr Mwanawasa, who is the incoming SADC chairperson, said after the ministers' meeting, heads of State in the region would communicate a stand to be taken on problems in Zimbabwe. "When Zimbabweans cough, my people also cough. It is true that I support the land reforms in Zimbabwe, but I don't support their record of good governance," President Mwanawasa said.

Meanwhile, BARBARA MUKUKA reports that Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, has advised countries outside SADC to allow the region resolve problems in Zimbabwe. Mr Mbula said SADC member States should be allowed to find solutions to problems affecting Zimbabwe. He said this on South African Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Ndola on Monday evening.

Mr Mbula was making an official stand by Zambia on the economic and political problems in Zimbabwe. “President Mwanawasa is still enjoying diplomacy with that country and will endeavour to see the problems in Zimbabwe resolved,” Mr Mbula said. Mr Mbula appealed to SADC member countries to resist foreign interference and work as a development community to ensure that Zimbabwe resolved her problems.

He said Zambia did not believe that people from outside the SADC region could resolve the land disputes in Zimbabwe. “The current land problems in Zimbabwe should be an example to other SADC countries but it will be unfair to use it to remove President Robert Mugabe from government,” Mr Mbula said.

Labels: ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 6:32 PM