Former Ghana leader praises Tsvangirai
24/02/2013 00:00:00
by citifmonline.com
FORMER Ghana president Jerry John Rawlings has commended Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for working towards a peaceful political climate in Zimbabwe.
Speaking during a meeting with Rawlings, Tsvangirai stated that the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe has improved since the establishment of a unity government following disputed elections in 2008.
The two held a meeting in Seoul, South Korea, where both leaders are attending the World Peace Summit of the United Peace Federation.
The Summit is being held under the theme, “Peace, Security and Development”.
Tsvangirai said relations with President Mugabe had improved and there was civil discourse between the two.
The MDC-T leader said even though there was significant political and economic improvement in Zimbabwe, the international media was only keen on reporting the negative news about the country.
He said the economy had grown 9% over the past two years, an indication that his country is moving positively.
Tsvangirai also said he did not foresee any trouble as Zimbabwe moves towards a new election later this year.
Labels: JERRY RAWLINGS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
Read more...
Colonial days are over, says RawlingsNo British official, be he a politician or Royalty has the right to say those words about a Pan-Africanist like Robert Mugabe.
Jerry Rawlings, the former president of Ghana, condemned the statement said to be written by a Foreign Office official, which said that President Robert Mugabe would suffer a similar fate to Charles Taylor of Liberia, who is currently standing trial in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Rawlings, who leads Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Party (NDC), said it was “disrespectful” for Britain to make such a statement about President Mugabe. “No British official, be he a politician or Royalty has the right to say those words about a Pan-Africanist like Robert Mugabe” Rawlings said in an exclusive interview with The Lens, a local Ghanaian newspaper.
Whilst acknowledging that the Zimbabwean president might have made some mistakes in governance, Rawlings said Britain should recognise that the days of colonialism are over and as such must relate with former colonies in Africa in the light of what they are – sovereign and independent states.
“Do they think we are back to those primitive eras when the colonialists could arrest and exile leaders of Africa any time they felt like it?” he questioned.
During the past six years, Robert Mugabe has been severely criticised by Britain and the USA over alleged human rights abuses and over Zimbabwe’s land reform policy, which has ensured the return of land to the black majority seized during the colonial era by whites.
Zimbabwean Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa who is currently in Accra for the AU Summit said the western media, particularly BBC and VOA are exaggerating issues in Zimbabwe for the selfish interests of their owners. He said what Mugabe did with the land reform programme was to redress an injustice that was done several years ago and wondered why Britain “which claims to be in the vanguard of justice should be opposed to a course of justice.”
Labels: JERRY RAWLINGS, LAND REFORM, MUGABE
Read more...
