Maravi

Smith was a killer - KK

Smith was a killer - KK
By Brighton Phiri in Livingstone
Friday November 23, 2007 [03:00]

I can’t mourn Ian Smith because he was a killer, said Dr Kenneth Kaunda yesterday. And Dr Kaunda said former African leaders were ready to serve as peace mediators if called upon by the African Union (AU). Commenting on the death of former Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith who died in South Africa on Tuesday, Dr Kaunda said Smith was not worth mourning by Africa because of the atrocities that he inflicted on its citizens.

“He is gone. There cannot be mourning on our part. How can we mourn a man who is a killer?” he asked.

Dr Kaunda said Smith’s death should assist all those demonising Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to reflect on their views because the man who detained and killed many Zimbabweans had died on the Zimbabwean soil.

“His death should serve as a reminder for those demonising President Mugabe that Ian Smith has died on the Zimbabwean soil. This is the man who threw comrade Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo and several others into prison for 10 years without trial,” Dr Kaunda said.

On Africa’s conflicts, Dr Kaunda said former African heads of state were ready to be assigned by the AU to resolve some of the conflicts that had engulfed the continent.

“It all depends on the AU. If the AU thinks that there is something that we can do to help, we are ready to contribute towards resolving the conflicts on the continent,” he said.

On the outcome of the former heads of state workshop on HIV and AIDS, Dr Kaunda said resolutions would be presented to the full council of the Africa Forum, a grouping of former African leaders.
He disclosed that the leaders present during the workshop had identified poverty as the main contributing factor to increased cases of HIV and AIDS.

“We have all accepted that poverty must be defeated first. For as long as we are still wallowing in abject poverty, we shall face some serious difficulties in eradicating the AIDS pandemic,” said Dr Kaunda.

Those who attended the workshop included former Burundu president Pierrie Buyoya and his wife Sothie, Malawian former president Bakili Muluzi, Tanzania’s second and third presidents Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa, former Organisation African Union secretary general Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim and Africa Forum executive secretary John Tesha.

Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA

posted by MrK @ 12:32 PM