Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Zambian President blames western countries for worsening situation in Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwean
February 25, 2008

View story on The Zimbabwean website

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has accused the western countries of worsening situation in neighbouring Zimbabwe due to their hatred of Mugabe whilst openly supporting the opposition arguing that to the western world "free and fair elections" meant victory of opposition parties.

Effort Lungu, CAJ News Bureau chief,said Mwanawasa took a swipe on America, Austrailia, Canada, Britain and their allies this afternoon (Friday) in the capital, Lusaka amid clapping of hands from a handful government officials.

He said the western world only declares elections free and fair when opposition political parties win, arguing that the African continent is slowly watching such moves with caution.

Mwanawasa, who is the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said only President Robert Mugabe's defeat in the March 29 polls would convince western countries to certify Zimbabwean elections as "free and fair."

He took a swipe on western countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States of America (USA) and Britain as nations worsening the otherwise improving Zimbabwean situation.

"These western countries always interfere in Zimbabwe's internal affairs, hence complicating the problems."

"They are complicating the problems in Zimbabwe by recognising that elections are only free and fair when the ruling party loses," said president Mwanawasa.

He said the regional SADC grouping would send election observers well ahead of the harmonized Zimbabwe elections set for March 29.

He also castigated opposition political parties in Africa of refusing to accept defeat when they lose.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing the worst economic recession following hyperinflation that is hovering above 100 850 percent, unemployment at 85 percent with acute shortages of basic food commodities, fuel, local currency, foreign currency and medication for the ill-CAJ News.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP