Monday, January 31, 2011

Democracy in dark countries - sudden correction!

Walt is checking his calendar to make sure this is the last day of January, not the first day of April. About 12 hours ago, I posted a report that Zimbabwe's erstwhile president, Comrade Bob Mugabe, had been selected to chair the panel of mediators whose task it is to sort out the electoral stalemate in the Ivory Coast.

Now a Zimbabwean reporter covering the "African Union" meetings in Addis Abeba says that President Robert Mugabe will not -- repeat, NOT -- be heading the mission. In fact, he won't even be on the panel of intermediaries.

The AU must have realized that putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop was a bit over the top, even for Africa, so named heads of state Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Idriss Deby of Chad, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso (the Land of Upright Men -- that's what it means) and Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania.

A "top Zimbabwe delegate" to the AU meeting told NewsDay's Faith Zaba that Zimbabwe could not be part of that panel because it had its own elections to organize. Actually no election has been called yet, but that's what he said. “We could not be part of that panel because we have our own elections this year and there is still a lot that needs to be done to organise our election.”

Indeed. Wouldn't do to have another misfire as in 2008. Once a chef, always a chef ... at least in Zimbabwe.

Footnote: According to Ms Zaba, Kenya's Raila Odinga was also "relieved of his duties".

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