Africa has confidence in President, say analysts

Senior Reporter
President Mugabe’s election as the First Deputy Chair of the African Union Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government confirms the continental body’s confidence in his Pan-African values.
Political analysts and commentators yesterday said the election was a strong statement to the world that Africa had come of age and could no longer be manipulated by the West.

President Mugabe was elected First Deputy Chair of the AU at the 22rd session of the AU that ended yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Ambassador Chris Mutsvangwa said President Mugabe is a towering figure and a great African statesman befitting such honour.
“Africa has elevated President Mugabe to the pedestal that he belongs to,” he said.

Ambassador Mutsvangwa said the EU was now in a tight spot if it attempted to exclude President Mugabe from a meeting between that bloc and the AU set for Brussels, Belgium in April.

“He commands universal popularity among Africans as evidenced by the standing ovations he received at the burial of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
“The EU will be demeaning itself if it refuses to invite the First Deputy Chair of the African Union and most African countries will not be happy about that,” he said.

Media and Society Studies lecturer at Midlands State University, Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri, added: “This shows that Africa has confidence in President Mugabe not only as a leader of Zimbabwe but as a true Pan-Africanist.”

It has been reported that the EU had been looking at ways of barring President Mugabe from attending the EU-Africa Summit.
Dr Mhiripiri said Africa should boycott the summit if the EU tried to bar any leaders from attending.

Dr Lawton Hikwa of the National University of Science and Technology said President Mugabe’s election was clear testimony that Africa revered its founding fathers.
Another Midlands State University lecturer Mr Christopher Gwatidzo, said, “This is a powerful statement spoken in unison by Africa. Africa has the right to choose who represents it and the US and the EU should respect that.”