AU Letting Africa Down

THE African Union (AU) is letting the continent down. All the hopes of a more democratic successor to the former old Organisation of African Unity (OAU) appear to have been dashed, as time and again, they show that they have changed little from the elite club of old allies of the past.

Political division within the ranks is not a problem in itself. One could hardly expect that there would be consensus among such a large group of African leaders.And a diversity of voices is not a bad thing either.But what is most horrifying is that the so-called democratic states on the continent, cannot find a voice on Zimbabwe, with some notable exceptions, such as Prime Minister Raila Odinga of Kenya.That the AU meeting in Egypt finally came up with a resolution favouring a national unity government in Zimbabwe, is nothing short of cowardice, and a further blot on the reputation and credibility of those governments claiming to be democratic.Where were the voices of Namibia, South Africa, and many others on the sub-continent for example? Yes, some spoke out.Kenya, and to a certain extent Botswana and Nigeria, but for the rest, democratic voices were silenced by diplomacy.Observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) themselves declared the sham election which ‘legitimised’ Robert Mugabe’s continued rule, as not free and fair, and riddled with intimidation and violence.Why then did SADC bother even to send observers to Zimbabwe, if they were not prepared to take their cue from them? Africa still has its posse of presidents for life, which includes Mugabe and others.Omar Bongo of Gabon, for example, insisted that Africa should accept a Mugabe victory.”He was elected, he took an oath and he is here with us, so he is president and we cannot ask him more,” said Africa’s longest-serving head of state.Such comments from the ‘old order’ would surprise no-one.But why the democracies caved in on and submitted to a resolution that is about as far-fetched as a potential solution as the prospect of Mugabe quitting voluntarily, is what stuns the world at large.Thankfully, Morgan Tsvangirai of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has rejected the proposal, saying it would merely accommodate Mugabe after most of the world had labelled his regime as illegitimate.”A government of national unity does not address the problems facing Zimbabwe or acknowledge the will of the Zimbabwean people,” said Tsvangirai, while pointing out that the same resolution did not acknowledge the illegitimacy of the June 27 poll; neither did it acknowledge that the MDC as the winner of the election on March 29, should be recognised as the government of Zimbabwe.Later it was stated at the AU meeting that Mugabe himself had snubbed the idea of sharing power with the MDC.Africa should have taken this golden opportunity to solve its own problems without Western interference by closing ranks and taking a united stand in refusing to legitimise Mugabe’s illegal win.They should have called for a new round of elections, this time under totally free and fair elections, if necessary, sending in AU troops to ensure this.What they have probably done by refusing to face facts in Africa, is to postpone a solution to the dreadful conditions the majority of Zimbabweans continue to live in under a Mugabe regime.They have done what the OAU before them always did: supported the dictators and the despots and the lifetime rulers to the detriment of democracy on the continent.We have again lost a valuable opportunity with the AU continuing to shield Mugabe from African contempt and rejection, which he so richly deserves.Our own disappointment in our Government in Namibia knows no bounds for they have aligned our country and people with the undemocratic forces on the continent, rather than speaking loudly for change.One could hardly expect that there would be consensus among such a large group of African leaders.And a diversity of voices is not a bad thing either.But what is most horrifying is that the so-called democratic states on the continent, cannot find a voice on Zimbabwe, with some notable exceptions, such as Prime Minister Raila Odinga of Kenya.That the AU meeting in Egypt finally came up with a resolution favouring a national unity government in Zimbabwe, is nothing short of cowardice, and a further blot on the reputation and credibility of those governments claiming to be democratic.Where were the voices of Namibia, South Africa, and many others on the sub-continent for example? Yes, some spoke out.Kenya, and to a certain extent Botswana and Nigeria, but for the rest, democratic voices were silenced by diplomacy.Observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) themselves declared the sham election which ‘legitimised’ Robert Mugabe’s continued rule, as not free and fair, and riddled with intimidation and violence.Why then did SADC bother even to send observers to Zimbabwe, if they were not prepared to take their cue from them? Africa still has its posse of presidents for life, which includes Mugabe and others.Omar Bongo of Gabon, for example, insisted that Africa should accept a Mugabe victory.”He was elected, he took an oath and he is here with us, so he is president and we cannot ask him more,” said Africa’s longest-serving head of state.Such comments from the ‘old order’ would surprise no-one.But why the democracies caved in on and submitted to a resolution that is about as far-fetched as a potential solution as the prospect of Mugabe quitting voluntarily, is what stuns the world at large.Thankfully, Morgan Tsvangirai of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has rejected the proposal, saying it would merely accommodate Mugabe after most of the world had labelled his regime as illegitimate.”A government of national unity does not address the problems facing Zimbabwe or acknowledge the will of the Zimbabwean people,” said Tsvangirai, while pointing out that the same resolution did not acknowledge the illegitimacy of the June 27 poll; neither did it acknowledge that the MDC as the winner of the election on March 29, should be recognised as the government of Zimbabwe.Later it was stated at the AU meeting that Mugabe himself had snubbed the idea of sharing power with the MDC.Africa should have taken this golden opportunity to solve its own problems without Western interference by closing ranks and taking a united stand in refusing to legitimise Mugabe’s illegal win.They should have called for a new round of elections, this time under totally free and fair elections, if necessary, sending in AU troops to ensure this.What they have probably done by refusing to face facts in Africa, is to postpone a solution to the dreadful conditions the majority of Zimbabweans continue to live in under a Mugabe regime.They have done what the OAU before them always did: supported the dictators and the despots and the lifetime rulers to the detriment of democracy on the continent.We have again lost a valuable opportunity with the AU continuing to shield Mugabe from African contempt and rejection, which he so richly deserves.Our own disappointment in our Government in Namibia knows no bounds for they have aligned our country and people with the undemocratic forces on the continent, rather than speaking loudly for change.