USA - WASHINGTON - U.S. president-elect Barack Obama has said President Robert Mugabe has demonstrated tragic failure in leadership.

 

Obama also slammed South Africa's quiet diplomacy strategy, saying it had evidently failed to heal the parties in Zimbabwe.

 

President-elect Obama told a news conference that Mugabe has vandalised an economy that was successful only ten years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

"What's happening in Zimbabwe is tragic, " Obama told reporters. "This is a country that used to be the bread basket of Africa. Mugabe has run the economy into the ground.

 

He has perpetrated extraordinary violence against his own people," Obama said.

Obama, starts work as US president on January 20 after he won a hard fought presidential election two weeks ago, beating Republican candidate John McCain.

"Not only do I think that the United Nations needs to continue to apply as much pressure as possible on the Mugabe government, but in particular other African nations, including South Africa, I think have to be much more forceful in condemning what has been taking place there," Obama said.

"And frankly, they have been quiet for far too long and allowed Mugabe to engage in this sort of anti-colonial rhetoric that is used to distract from his own profound failures as a leader," he added.

Mugabe cannot claim any sort of legitimacy as a democratically elected leader in Zimbabwe, he added.

Mugabe lost elections but is refusing to surrender power. The opposition is threatening to walk away from the whole thing. The MDC says it cannot get into government where Zanu-PF had key ministries and yet they are being given ministry of chickens.

Obama said the international community must do more to try to help resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis and to pressure President Robert Mugabe who is clinging to power.

 

He singled out South Africa as one country that needs to apply more pressure on Mugabe, 84, who has refused to step down.

 

 

Observers say Mugabe knows that he needs the MDC to form a new government. He needs two thirds majority in Parliament to form a government. And he will not get it if the MDC is not brought to heel.

So it’s simple, concede some ministries and get the MDC in government and ‘quieten’ them up with perks.

The MDC wants real power-sharing, simple.Mugabe faces a dilemma right now. He has to concede to make the deal fly. Events of this week will be instructive of the way the veteran ruler wants to steer the country forward. Mugabe is at the crossroads.

 

 

 

JOKE OF THE DAY - Chinoz phoned ZBC radio and said:

"Good morning, I would like to say get well soon to my friend who passed away."

 

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