HARARE - SADC countries rallied behind Zimbabwe this week, causing the recall of a weapons ship laden with arms of war ordered by bloodthirsty Robert Mugabe.

Chinese weapons carrier An Yue Jiang has been recalled to China after being refused docking permits at ports in three of Zimbabwe's neighbors.

 

 

 

ZimDaily heard the US government was pivotal in this operation. In Washington, the State Department confirmed that it had pressured South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia to refuse to unload the ship with weapons ordered by Mugabe on April 1, a day after he had learnt of his stunning electoral loss to the MDC.

 

Washington also stepped up pressure on Beijing to recall the ship and ordered the country to stop any form of gun running with Harare in the future.

 

The ship, laden with mortar grenades, ammunition and other weapons was part of "normal military product trade between the two countries," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement issued yesterday.

 

"As far as I know, the carrier is now considering carrying back the cargo," she added.

The US State Department also demanded the release the long-delayed results of the presidential election.

 

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai told a news conference in Ghana that African leaders should acknowledge that he has won the poll and ask Mugabe to leave gracefully.

 

Back in Harare 28 MDC activists, including two journalists Frank Chikowore and Luke Tamborinyoka, were remanded in custody in connection with stayaway called last week to protest the results hold up.