SADC shuns Bingu as Comrade Mugabe is booed
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe who stirs mixed feelings in many Malawians received hisses at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre where he was attending the country’s 45th independence celebrations on Monday.
The celebrations, where he was the only other head of state with his host Bingu wa Mutharika, appeared to have been studiously shunned by the 16-member Southern African Development Community, SADC. Only two low-ranking officials from Mozambique and Tanzania attended among locally-based diplomatic staff.
Government sources said the SADC heads are sending a message to Mugabe that his failure to cooperate with their recommendations on the way forward for the Zimbabwe government will not be tolerated.
But a political secretary in one embassy said it has dawned on the leaders of SADC who are on the verge of going to elections of their last terms of office, that they do not want to encourage their own successors to dump their political parties as Mutharika did in Malawi.
Mugabe who is seen by local Malawians as only a titular head following the formation of a unity government with Movement for Democratic Change, MDC was hissed at on entry and was openly booed with his host from the over-crammed 25,000- seater stadium in a show of disaffection with his presence in Malawi.
He was also here in May attending Mutharika’s inauguration. Mugabe is the most frequent visitor and a political buddy of Mutharika.
Some said they were tired with Mugabe while others said the relationship has become an obsession with Mutharika at the expense of the people in the eyes of the international community and in particular, Britain which gives Malawi the second largest chunk of development aid after Bangladesh.
However, there also concerns that Malawi will be seen as comforting the enemy in the eyes of the emerging new leaders who may not be kind to the existing relation.
In the madness-filled attacks against so-called white farm settlers, many of the 3 million Zimbabweans who trace their origins to Malawi were also victims of the extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and torture from marauding Mugabe thugs in uniform and plain clothes.
Others said attended the celebrations for the love of football which was played at the end of long-winded political speeches where Mutharika and his officials took turns to vilify the opposition, in the fashion that his guest revered until he faced the reality that he cannot survive without the opposition.
Mugabe has been a source of mixed reaction in Malawi with protests from civil society and opposition followers removing his name from road furniture bearing his name.
However, Mutharika whose foreign policy favours close ties with China and countries such as Iran as opposed to major bilateral donors like Britain declared Mugabe his political “hero”.
Tagged with: 45th Malawi independence, Bingu, Mugabe, SADC
who knows? Later the international and zimbabwe will use Bingu to advise mugabe to step down. Mugabe got no choice due to age. He may be ambitious with Bingu policy on economy. Mugabe needs good leaders to advise him amicably. If one takes good advise its thd othdr who will take appraisal from the world.
Achimwene, tisanamizanepo apa zidakakhala delo Mutharika would have already advised him. Why dont we call a spade a spade a Malawi. Both of them are intolerant and dictators so who can advise who? Tangozisiyani izi, one day we shall all smile and laugh.
Politics of survival here. Bingu go!!!!!!!!!! Where were Zimbabweans when Banda was “plucking our feathers”. Is it not the same Zimbabweans who used to laugh at us and entertain the then Ngwazi. Let Zimbabweans fix there problems, and NOT Bingu or any Malawian. Kakwera m’mwamba tsiku lina kadzatera kutero mawuwo. Ndisamve.
I hate western media too much.Why shd they tell us who to love and who to hate?
No wonder Iran has completely FUCKED UK and now thwy are crying to EU to punish Iran which they cant since Iran does not depend on farms like Zimbabwe but OIL!!!
Munya mukamakhulupilira Western Medias , just wake up. They use money /donations and media to enslave us Africans.
Ndinu angati muli ku UK that are doing decent jobs apart frommajority kubibisa azungu? They cant give you decent jobs at all.
i dont know why peeople should have a problem with mugabe coming to malawi afterall invititions were sent to other countries and they chose not to come. the western media and countries still wants to manipulate african countries its high time we can never go mto colonial rule if someone choses to do the opposite with the best interst of there country they call him a dictator or bad leader tony blair wanted to be in power forever putin is doing the same why lable an african leader names if he is also doing the same people should open they eyes and work for the better and help improve our country than wasting time on stupid allegations
Palimbe nkhani apa, leaders of the contries you have mentioned came when Bingu was sworn in. And Mugage was also there. If they are not happy with Bungu leaving udf, the best time they could show this was when he was sworn in because by attending this ceremony its an indiction that they recognize his govt.If they wanted to distance themselves from Mugabe they could also not come on this day because Magube was invited. So Nyasa Times dont try to make a story by pitting your own opinions or what you would like to happen. For those who comment here you should first make your own reserch and a make a balanced comment with facts to back up your comment. Do you think SADC leaders can boycott Magube? If they are refusing to hand over Omar Bashir of Sudan to International Court of Justice for genocide. finally I totally disagree with this article because it lacks facts & contradicts other articles Nyasa Times has published about SADC leaders on Magube.
Well argued
Dickens stop day dreaming who told you that Mugabe is one of ours, why are arresting Muluzi if Mugabe is scot free, Mugabe is equally wrong like any other head of state and must be told point blank not to hide and say he is african!
People need to understand the history between zimbabwe and britain. In short the lancaster agreement sought to keep zimbabwe as a colony even after independence.At the heart of the problem land that belonged to ordinary Zimbabweans was given to british settlers who developed the land and made zimbabwe what it was a few years ago. Britain sought to protect the interest of their settlers in Zimbabwe and when mugabe did what he did reclaiming the land he became the devil in the eyes of britain and its allies. the only problem for mugabe was that he lost trust of the zimbabweans. He terrorised his own people at least those that criticised him openly. therfore by associating with mugabe Bingu puts Malawi in difficult situation because no matter how we can claim that malawi is doing fine we can not survive if the donor pulled the carpet from under us.mugabe was not entirely wrong but for the second reason Bingu is showing lack of good judgememt. mugabe has messed zimbabwe
MAMA C TAMANDA KADZAMILA and MUGABE Shaking hands, remembering those very old days when the late president Kamuzu Banda was in power. Mama deserved an honour because she has been quite since she left SANJIKA
While I do not like the way Zimbabwe has deteriorated economically I largely support the policies of Mugabe and his Government. They are however very painful policies.The westeren powers use blackmail like bringing the Zimbabwe economy to its knees and then appealing to everyone to abandon leadership because they have messed up the economy. The issue is that Mugabe antagonised the so called Whiteman and he is fighting back like a thief denied of the ill gotten goods by a perceived weak owner. The issue is whether you should use pure/just means(e.g willing seller willing buyer in case of land acquisition) to achieve pure/just ends(restore land ownership to the original owners and empower them economically). If just means are not possible or are taking too long are you going to be forced to use whatever means(whether just or not)to achive your just ends? In other words do you give up your fight for economic independence to avoid ‘temporary’ hardship on your people in return for perpetual bondage under an alien power. In some cases the hardship includes death. Most of the nations have not compromised on gaining true independence including the western countries. It is Africa that in large measure seems contented with having three or at least two meals a day. No we have resources and we should enjoy full benefit or at least let us fight for our future generations to enjoy full independence. May be we should learn from the people in Malaysia who chased the chinese colonialists, grab all the resoucres back , align themselves with the Japanese and are now pretty much OK.
fINALLY do not judge Zimbabwe by what it is now but what it will be as a result of what has happened now. Most of the commentators am sure are below 40 and healthy and should therefore be able to live another 20 to 40 years and will witness the complete transformation of Zimbabwe-the prosperity to which Britain etc will have negligible influence. Shagarai, Biti are supporting their marriage with Mugabe. Who are we to doubt it
How does the country finance its spending? Through taxes from employees and company profits. Who employs people in the society? Rich people.So if You chase rich people in the society then there is none to employ the masses of the people in the country and no tax collection for the Government. The results are no money for the Government to finance its spending. That is what happened in ZIM.Mugabe chased farmers who were the main contributor of Zimbabwe’s GDP.When making decisions think about your citizens first (citizen centricity)