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2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Speak
on Zimbabwe, Odinga tells AU
Morton
Saulo, The East African Standard (Kenya)
May 07, 2008
http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143986163&cid=4
Prime Minister Raila
Odinga has hit out at the African Union (AU) for silence on the
Zimbabwe election impasse.
The PM asked the AU to
come out strongly in dealing with Zimbabwe. He criticized African
leaders over their silence on the matter.
"Zimbabwe is a major
embarrassment to Africa and the rest of Africa is silent. No one
is talking," he said.
He added: "African
leaders must lead by example and speak when injustice is done on
the continent."
Raila said delaying election
results for more than a month and the ruling party's call for a
re-run and a vote recount in some constituencies were not the best
way to run a democracy.
Raila called on Zimbabwe
opposition leader, the Movement for Democratic Change leader, Mr
Morgan Tsvangirai, to take part in the presidential repeat election.
"I have asked him
to participate in the re-run," he said.
Last week, Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission released presidential election results after a month
of waiting.
It gave Tsvangirai more
votes than President Robert Mugabe, but not the 50 per cent required
to avoid a run-off.
The MDC leader garnered
47.9 per cent, while President Mugabe got 43.2 per cent.
On Sunday, MDC said it
was discussing the conditions under which it could take part in
the re-run.
Raila spoke to journalists
on Monday night upon arrival from a one-week overseas trip that
led him to Germany for an eye operation and South Africa.
While in South Africa,
the PM met South African former President and Nobel Peace Prize
winner, Mr Nelson Mandela, and his wife, Mrs Graca Machel.
Lands minister, Mr James
Orengo, Medical Services minister, Prof Anyang' Nyong'o, and Public
Service minister, Mr Dalmas Otieno, welcomed the PM at the airport.
Meanwhile, the PM has
released a programme for his homecoming at the weekend.
Raila will begin the
tour in Kisumu on Saturday.
Raila's spokesman, Mr
Salim Lone, said the premier would then proceed to Bondo on Sunday.
The tour moves to Funyula on Monday next week.
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