HARARE - Newly appointed Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has asked leaders of African countries to act with speed to save Zimbabwe from collapse.

 

The PM said the age of dictators was long gone and that President Robert Mugabe of the Southern Africa country should not be allowed to hold his country to ransom by interfering with the release of election results three weeks down the line.

 

 

Mr Odinga said President Mugabe should emulate President Kibaki’s statesmanship and put the interests of the nation above his own.

 

The PM said Africa had witnessed a series of uprisings including millitary takeovers due to lack of genuine and sincere leaders while citing the case of Zimbabwe, which he labelled pathetic. Mr Odinga  pledged to use all means necessary to make President Mugabe retire honourably.

 

“I sympathise with the people of Zimbabwe and I will play a key role in letting him unite  his people. African Heads of States should use force if necessary to remove people like Mugabe from power, especially those who do not want to respect the people’s decision through the ballot,” he said.

 

Mr Odinga said democracy in Kenya was made able by the citizens who resisted bad governance and monolithic regimes.

 

He said Africa, and more so Zimbabwe, needed leaders like Ghanian President John Kufuor who saved Kenya from the pain of political mischief. “He came to Kenya when the country was on fire, carried a bucket of water which he poured onto the fire when some people claimed he came for a cup of tea,” Mr Odinga said.

 

The Prime Minister explained that by inviting Mr Kofi Annan to broker a political agreement, President Kufuor achieved special status for acting differently from some African leaders who are shy to “remove the log in their cohorts’ eyes”.

 

Mr Odinga was speaking during a dinner hosted in his honour following his appointment.