adminHerald Reporters
President Mugabe yesterday met a special envoy from his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni who is seeking support for his country’s candidate for the African Union Commission chairpersonship.
The East African Community has endorsed Uganda’s former Vice President Dr Specioza Kazibwe as its candidate for the AU Commission top post to replace Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma has not submitted an application to remain chairperson for a second term.
Speaking after meeting President Mugabe at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare, Uganda’s Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Major General Kahinde Otafire said his visit was all about drumming up support.
He said they had also touched on strengthening bilateral issues between Zimbabwe and Uganda.
“We are asking the people of Zimbabwe to support Uganda for the chairperson of the African Union (Commission),” he said.
Asked if President Mugabe had agreed to render his support, Maj Gen Otafire said: “I wouldn’t say yes, I wouldn’t say no.
“This will be decided in Kigali.
“These are friendly people of Zimbabwe and Uganda and our parties Zanu-PF and National Resistance Movement are friends.
“Of course, there are other bilateral issues to discuss because we have been friends for a long time. We are African friends to the true sense.
“There are other issues we discussed and I will inform when they become public.”
The AU will meet for its 27th summit in Kigali, Rwanda from July 10.
The highlight will likely be the election of the new AUC chairperson.
Dr Kazibwe will battle it out with Agapito Mokuy from Equatorial Guinea (EAC), Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi from Botswana (sadc) and Abdoulaye Bathily from Senegal (Economic Community of West African States).
Dr Kazibwe is a physician and trained social scientist, veteran politician, diplomat and Pan Africanist.
In 2013 she served as special envoy of the secretary general of the United Nations for HIV/Aids in Africa.
She is a member of the African Union Panel on the Wise, one of the critical pillars of the Peace and Security Architecture of the African Union.
Dr Kazibwe was Uganda’s executive vice president for nine years — from 1994 to 2003 — and the first woman vice president in Africa.
Online Reporter