Zimbabwe analysts lambast Obama for interference

Published: 2013 July 01 12:12:46 (4914 Views)

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday Zimbabwe's economic recovery gave the southern African country an opportunity to advance but only if upcoming elections were "free and fair."

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, at 89 Africa's oldest leader, is seeking to extend his three-decade rule in elections scheduled for July 31.

The opposition wants to delay the poll to allow reforms designed to prevent a repeat of the bloodshed that marred the 2008 election.

"Zimbabweans have a new constitution. The economy is beginning to recover. So there is an opportunity to move forward," Obama said in a televised speech at the University of Cape Town during his three-nation Africa visit.

"But only if there is an election that is free and fair and peaceful so that Zimbabweans can determine their future without fear of intimidation and retribution," Obama said.

Obama said in Zimbabwe, "the promise of liberation gave way to the corruption of power and then the collapse of the economy."

Some analysts in Zimbabwe including Political scientist and Zanu-PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo have been critical of Obama.

SA President Zuma was criticised for 'allowing Mr Obama to abuse their meeting to trash Zimbabwe when the SA leader was supposed to remind his guest that the just-ended GPA abhorred foreign meddling in Zimbabwe's internal affairs.'

President Obama is also accused of attacking the new Constitution.

War veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda said Zimbabwe is a sovereign nation governed by its laws not the opinions of foreigners.

"When we were a colony, an opinion from an American or British leader could change our lives in an instant but we had to fight a bitter tenaciously on those mountains of our country.

"We respect America but we don't want interference with the internal affairs of our country," said Sibanda.

Jonathan Moyo yesterday described Mr Obama's statements as insults to Zimbabweans and progressive South Africans.

He said that the US President was not supposed to bother himself about developments in Zimbabwe, adding the two leaders failed to take advantage of their meeting to discuss negative events unfolding in their countries.

"President Zuma was supposed to have told Obama that as Africans, they were embarrassed because he has violated human rights and the international law and killed people in countries such as Iran, Somalia and Afghanistan.

"He should have told him that the Africans were not happy with the use of cyber war against Iran. Should have told him that people were not happy with his use of the Internet to spy on the people… he preaches about the freedom of expression while he spies on everyone.

"On the same token, President Obama should have told President Zuma that there was no need for him to talk about reforms in Zimbabwe, while there was massive police brutality perpetrated on Sadc citizens by South African police as well as the massacring on defenseless workers at Marikana Mines," he said.

"The truth is no amount of propaganda can hide the fact that Zimbabwe is enjoying peace, unity and development…Zimbabweans are the most empowered Africans, thanks to the policies of Zanu-PF.

"The term of office for the President ended yesterday (Saturday) and that Zimbabwe is now due for harmonised elections according to the country's constitution, not according rule of Obama or Zuma.

"If they believe in their shared notion that there should be reforms in Zimbabwe first before elections when Parliament's term has expired, them God should help them…Their notion is unprecedented, uncivilized and unconstitutional," he said.

Obama is visiting Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania on his African trip.

- Reuters/Herald