EU petitioned to suspend aid to Malawi over bankrolling Mugabe
Malawi has been highlighted in a petition to the EU calling for punitive action against SADC countries over Zimbabwe affairs.
The Zimbabwe Vigil presented the petition to the EU’s Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Karel De Gucht in Brussels this week.
The petition reads: “A Petition to European Union Governments: We record our dismay at the failure of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to help the desperate people of Zimbabwe at their time of trial.
“We urge the UK government and the European Union in general to suspend government to government aid to all 14 SADC countries until they abide by their joint commitment to uphold human rights in the region. We suggest that the money should instead be used to feed the starving in Zimbabwe”.
The petition was handed over by Geoffrey Van Orden, MEP for the East of England, who received it at a ceremony last month to mark the Vigil’s seventh anniversary.
“Our argument is that SADC countries have been derelict in their duty to Zimbabwe. Why should countries which support Mugabe’s tyranny receive money from EU taxpayers?
“Why, for instance, should Malawi get £70 million in balance of payments support this year from the UK alone when its people face starvation because of a reckless loan to Mugabe, which predictably has not been repaid? “ reads the petition.
SADC has ordered urgent talks in Zimbabwe to resolve differences over the Global Political Agreement. But Mugabe has shown what he thinks of this by flying off to Rome with a retinue of 60 locusts to tell the UN World Food Summit how badly Zimbabwe has been treated.
The loan Malawi government gave Zimbabwe has also be blamed to have bee n one major cause of fore shortage in Malawi, the country which is currently experiencing fuel shortage, power blackout on daily basis and water scarcity.
Mind you guys, Zimbabwe is not Malawi! You have completely lost out on strategy. So u want Malawians to suffer because of Zimbabwe. Tioone!
So the petition is against SADC not Malawi alone? Then the title of the story is misleading.
Dictators support each other. Bingu the dictator supporting Mugabe the dictator, thats what happens. Inu a EU musachotse that Balance of payment to Malawi. Do it for the poor of Malawi NOT the greedy Mutharika. Just put a good monitoring strategy to avoid a future occurance of the same lending money to Mugabe
Sadc leaders in general do not carry their constituents mandate and agenda in particular. The Zimbabwe issue is an example where leaders treat eachother with kid gloves.Unfortunately fighters like Levi Mwanawasa do not survive in Africa.
Clearly, Mutharikas true colors are coming out, I hope the Malawian people will not vote for this corrupt government out.
We need to get these old people out of power, Malawi needs fresh ideas, it doesnt make sense to give Mugabe $100M and then turn around and get a $50M loan what kind of sense is that.
And Mutharika says he is educated???
This is deep deep trouble. I think trying to play politics the Kamuzu style will surely paralyse our beloved Malawi. Things around the world were different when Kamuzu used to work with the apartheid govt in south africa – just for an example. MALAWIANS WAKE UP B4 ITS TOO LATE!!!!!!!
Qns:
1) Did Malawians vote for Mugabe?
2) Why should SADC EU Aid go to Zimbabwe when they don’t want the aid from a fellow SADC country (even though I dont agree with the Malawian hand to Zim.)?
3) Are SADC countries mandated to force a leader on a fellow SADC country?
Ma Zimbambwe zithu zikukukanikani nokha dont push the your troubles on others. Did you notice how Malawians solved the the problem of one party system?
A Ndebvuzamwai
Muzimvetsa zinthu. Aid goes to a country through different avenues. A country can receive aid through NGOs and UN agencies or directly to its government. The EU aid to Zimbabwe you are alluding to is probably received through UN agencies such as WFP and others because EU and many developed countries suspended direct aid to the Zimbabwean government. So what the petitioners are saying is that by giving Malawi balance of payment and the latter providing direct aid to the Zimbabwean government is the same as EU giving direct aid to the Zimbabwean government.
Malawians did not vote for Mugabe but by giving aid to the oppressor it obviously means that you are partaking in the act.
SADC countries are not mandated to force a leader on a fellow SADC country but they have an obligation to enforce democratic principles in the region. If a certain leader behaves in a manner that suppresses the freedoms of his people it is up to SADC leaders to use whatever legitimate means to correct the situation. This is the common practice in all regional groupings bambo Ndebvuzamwai.
Assisting tyrants like Bob is shameful and disgusting to say the least.African leaders continue to back each other and never act against those that are in the wrong
I wonder why this our leaders fear Bob that much they treat the guy like some kind of a demigod. Its only high time to tell him to back off he has caused so much misery to poor zimbaramabwerians
I wonder what the writers mind is trying to communicate in this article. The issue is for all SADC countries comprising of 14 states. EU does not look on relationship between Zimbabwe and other countries but the individual performance according to EU procedures on how their donations are being implemented and good governance of the country , not the way you and me measures it. Am sure the group that petioned the EU is myopic.
The writer should know that he is a malawian and therfore responsible reporting is important. Some of the reporting we do has a direct or indirect impact on us. Reading from the mind of the writer am convinced that he can be the happiest person on earth if malawi’s aid is with held, which will be the last thing to happen. You have to know that malawi has a better record on its economic growth which the IMF has also commented recently. EU also shares this information with this giants IMF AND WORLD BANK. Shame on this kind of reporting. Learn to report responsibly, following all the ethics of good reporting. Envy will not take us anywhere. Draw a line between where you come from with your profession.
Balamanthu you just said ‘EU does not look at relationship between zimbabwe and other countries but the indvidual performance according to EU procedures on how donations are being implemented and good governance of the country. Spot on. Bingu is not governing in an ordely manner therefore the EU need to start looking at his performance measuring key performance indicators against established EU standards. The EU needs to start asking questions about Bingus supposed superb performance just like enlightened malawians are doing. He needs to explain whether he used donors money to bail out mugabe.He needs to explain whether he used donors money to buy the private jet. He also needs to explain where all the foreign exchange is going as he is busy globetrotting whilst there is shortage of malawis hard earned forex. Who is financing his trips. Does he need to be at every gathering. EU responsible leaders sometimes send other high ranking officials other tnan the leaders. Bingu is wasting our time and resources. We need someone who is serious about development and poverty alleviation. The IMF is made up of naive people.you give them statistics and massaged figures. They dont have people on the ground to establish the reality.I mean these are the same people that tell you that everyone in america is better off and getting fat due to surplus food. You saw the plight of black americans during hurricane katrina. Africans are better off. These are the same people that tell you about the high standard of living in the uk. The uk is full of scruffbags that dont work and live off the state blaming foreigners especially africans and occassionally eastern europeans for their problems. In france you have the arabs getting a stick all the time. The world bank is full of arseholes. They are only interested in western interests and dont give a damn about anyone else. They encourage you to buy western goods and will not buy very little from the third world and will dump unwanted crap on the third world.
ndimmene muthere
Chitedze Chimayabwa, thanks for the quote that you have given. The key performance indicators that the EU looks at is not what you have said. Buying or proposing to buy president jet will be a major concern to EU if the country’seconomy is not growing. Remember that malawi has been praised by the way it has managed its economy for the past 5 years. The growth of the economy is the other main key indicator that has been looked at. In my comments i said the measurement of EU implementation procedures and good governance is not in the way you and me measures. We measure govt on how it is offering employment to MuLHAKO, or on the Quota system. To the EU, they measure how their donation is being used according to agreed terms of the contract. Remember contracts are always signed to accept how you will use the money funded. The government has govt ways of backing itself on issues raised by people. IMF AND WORLD BANK has got representative and those are the people on the ground. It doesn’t require to be in each street or road. It has got its measuring indicators to use either per catchment area or per sq km .Remember that their measurement is also in considering the risk factors that could prevent the funds to be implemented in a proper way, hence there is alwyas a quarterly assessement to be done. Failure to meet the agred terms and whatever concerns the second or third quarter will not be passed. These grants are audited.
Thats a shame on EU to punish Malwi for Zimbabwe, Zimbabweans voted for Mugabe themselves and if the elections were not fair that was the time for the EU to cry foul but they all stood aside. Dont blame us and dont take advantage of malawians. If malawi helped zimbabwe in some way its not Mugabe suffering its a local man, so if EU doesnt want to help us that means they are scared of \Mugabe and they worship him . Zimbabweans shud know enough is enough and kick out the old bustard. Its them zimbabweans killing white farmers who helped out a lot in zimbabwe ask Lawrence Mbenjere he will actually create a good song on How we used to cherish the honey in Zimbabwe. Punishing us is a bis Fuilure to the EU who are bowing down for Mugabe.