SADC OWES FOUNDERS A GREAT DEAL - MUGABE

The incoming chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. 

Victoria Falls. The incoming chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, yesterday said the region has not done enough to honour its founders.

Mr Mugabe, who takes over the rotating chair of the 15-member bloc from Malawi, said it is thanks to SADC founders, who established the frontline states, that the then Organisation of African Union (OAU) decided to form the liberation committee headquartered in Tanzania, leading to “resounding” freedom for all African countries.

The organisation was founded in 1980 as Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) with founding Member States being Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Of all the nine founding leaders, only Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda is alive and, according to Mr Mugabe, the current SADC leaders have a lot to do in memory of the fallen heroes and the living one.

“We have not done enough to pay tribute to them. Perhaps we forgot that the greatest burden of the liberation was borne by Tanzania and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere,” he said and added:

“We must do something. We can’t be that ungrateful. So, let us respect Mwalimu at AU somehow.”

Mr Mugabe also showered praise on the first head of the liberation committee, Brigadier General (rtd) Hashim Mbita, calling him a man who “truly led the liberation”.

Brigadier General Mbita was awarded the Royal Order of Mwanamutapa for his outstanding leadership. The award was received on his behalf by his daughter Ms Sheila Mbita.

“It’s too bad the old man is sick in Dar es Salaam and cannot receive this award in person. He is in bed,” said an overwhelmed Ms Mbita.

The honour which came alongside a $100,000 (Sh160 million) token in recognition of the liberation of Zimbabwe, makes Brigadier General Mbita the first non-head of state to earn the recognition.

Also, nine volumes of books capturing the liberation of Southern African countries were launched yesterday. The books are published by Tanzania’s Mkuki na Nyota headed by Mr Walter Bgoya and edited by another Tanzanian, Mr Adolph Temu.

To counter speculations that he might use his chair to settle scores with those who have openly criticized his leadership, Mr Mugabe told his party Zanu-PF women’s conference in the capital, Harare on Friday  that he considered every SADC member state a friend, despite any past differences.

“As we assume the leadership of the Sadc this weekend, they are all our friends and we never want to make enemies. That is why you have not heard me wanting to criticise anyone publicly. If there are disagreements let us talk about it behind closed doors and not make it open. We don’t want to feed the enemy with the wrong information that we are divided; the enemy which is Britain and America,” he said.

The 90-year-old head of state said SADC member states could never be his true enemies.  The real enemy, he said, was the West, which he would not hesitate to speak openly about and criticise.

The revenge speculation has mostly been linked to his apparently uneasy relationship with neighbouring Botswana whose leader Mr Ian Khama has openly criticised Mr Mugabe’s past election victories in 2008 and 2013 — stunning other African leaders by rejecting Zimbabwe’s poll outcome and governance standards.

Political pundits here also believe that Mr Mugabe is not likely to continue with any differences he has with his colleagues or stir new confrontations during his term. For, he needs their support for the African Union (AU) chairmanship post which will be available next January.

The Citizen