Zimbabweans warned not to rely on SADC and AU
By Violet Gonda
29 June 08

Basildon Peta, the African correspondent for the London Independent newspaper group, says it’s time Zimbabweans at home and abroad tried to find “unconventional means” to confront and remove the Mugabe regime from power. The journalist said Zimbabweans would never achieve anything by waiting for the African Union and SADC.

Peta said the regional groupings have had ample time to do something about Mugabe but have not, saying instead it’s a disgrace that they are allowing this illegitimate leader to attend the AU summit in Egypt. He said the influential South African Sunday Times newspaper reported that President Thabo Mbeki, the mediator in the Zimbabwean crisis, had been lobbying other African countries to recognize Mugabe.

Peta said this was extremely worrying, particularly in light of the fact that Mbeki will assume the SADC chairmanship in a few months time.

He said: “I think as Zimbabweans it is high time we reclaim our destiny as this foolish 84 year old man is leading us nowhere.”

Peta added: “Surely there are unconventional means that we as Zimbabweans can now resort to. Not because that is what we want, not because that is how we want things to be done but because Robert Mugabe has blocked all avenues for us to achieve democratic change in Zimbabwe.”

Meanwhile Mugabe went ahead and declared himself President on Sunday. Analysts say he must be a very miserable person right now, as the whole world sees him as a big cheat.