Well, possibly. Zambia's President, Levy Mwanawasa, has urged other African leaders not to allow the An Yue Jiang, with its 77 tonnes of small arms destined for Zimbabwe, to enter their waters.
African leaders, particularly Zimbabwe's neighbours, have been loathe to publicly criticise Robert Mugabe in the past. Many view him as a liberation leader and an elder statesman. Mugabe has taken full advantage, portraying his battle with his own people as a fight between Africa and the West.
When he spoke at an African economic conference in Nairobi in 2007, Mugabe accused Britain and the US of meddling in Africa. The heads of state and government officials from 19 African nations gave him a standing ovation.
But attitudes appear to be changing. Botswana's new president, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, has held talks with Morgan Tsvangirai in Gaborone and Jacob Zuma, the man most likely to be South Africa's next president, has made it abundantly clear he disagrees with Thabo Mbeki's much-derided "softly softly" approach.
Every time Gordon Brown or Condoleezza Rice attack Mugabe he plays the colonialism card. Criticism from his fellow African leaders is harder for him to dismiss - something Kofi Annan pointed out over the weekend.
For an idea of what life is like in Zimbabwe for opposition activists, take a look at Sokwanele's photo album. It is not for the faint-hearted.
Of course other African leaders won't criticise Mugabe. They are all in the same corrupt boat. One falls, they all fall.
Posted by: Clive W | Tuesday, 22 April 2008 at 02:21 PM
Firstly,mugabe lost elections there` no question about that.Secondly,mugabe is under arrest from his loyalities and is been told what to do each time he come out.Now all the delays to release election results is doing the moment is just buying time to find solutions or excuse to cling in power.why UN not intervening? UN they will say look mugabe,we head enough of your lies.Give us eletion results now,becuase is your ploy to kill people.Rest assured that, this ploy of mugabe is to make sure he leaves people dead or alive in silence.To make sure no MDC AND IF ALIVE VOTE FOR ZANU PF.Mugabe kills whilst smiling.People in the villeges they are dieing and some left paralised.Think ,no media,no surporting police.My question is UN WHAT YOU WAITING FOR TO INTERVEN?
NDUMO
Posted by: Ndumo | Tuesday, 22 April 2008 at 04:02 PM
Steve,
First thank you for the decent coverage of Africa , kudos to you and to Independent for allowing you to write some thing different from the Pravda like reporting of the other papers.
I spent a considerable time of my life in the horn of Africa, although I have no liking for the man, Mugabe might have a point when he accuses Britain and the US of meddling in Africa.
If we take the example of Ethiopia, where you have reported many atrocities that were going on Ogaden, stolen elections, and just today another atrocities in Somalia
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL23812754.html
yet Meles Zenawi can not do anything wrong and is protected and lavished by the western countries and is the biggest recipient of foreign aid in Africa worth billions every year. (UK alone gives him $340 million/yr)
Add to it, western UNSC members unjustly meddling and blatantly trying to break the rule of law when it does not suite them, like allowing Ethiopia to buy armaments from North Korea, or taking the wrong side on the Ethio/Eritrean UN border decisions
http://www.slate.com/id/2178793/
and when Eritrea try to hold them accountable, they resort to threats
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN323977.html
How ever delusional Mugabe may be, you can see the insidious hypocrisy that is going on in Africa, and why other leaders corrupt or not agree with him.
Posted by: Simon | Thursday, 24 April 2008 at 01:56 AM
Leave Zimbabwe alone guys. Why do you think it is OK for britain to meddle in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe. Could the same happen in your country? It is only wrong when a respected black hero tries to give back what duely belongs to his people. No wonder everyone of you guys has become a mouthpiece for that stooge called morgan
Posted by: Cornelius | Thursday, 24 April 2008 at 06:27 AM