Mugabe takes the helm at SADC
HARARE
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has taken over as chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to complete his rehabilitation after years of international isolation.
President Mugabe, 90, would lead the 15-member SADC for a year and is in line to lead the African Union (AU) starting next year.
Zimbabwe is hosting the 34th SADC summit in the resort town of Victoria Falls after taking over from Malawi.
In his maiden speech after formally taking over from Malawi President Peter Mutharika on Sunday, President Mugabe implored SADC to wean itself from the West.
NATURAL RESAORCES
“Our continued over-reliance on the generosity and goodwill of our cooperating partners tends to compromise our ownership and sustainability of our SADC programmes,” he said.
“How can we proudly claim SADC to be our own organisation when close to 60 per cent of our programmes are externally funded. We should not be tempted to introduce or embrace too many programmes which in the end we fail to fund from our own resources."
He said the region should leverage on its vast natural resources to drive its economies.
“We therefore feel that the current process under way to review the regional integrated strategic development programme, should not be a mere academic exercise but a reality check which should redirect us,” President Mugabe said.
AT LOGGERHEADS
The veteran ruler, in power since 1980, has been at loggerheads with the West since he embarked on a violent land reform programme that began in 2000.
A string of disputed elections and electoral violence also saw African leaders drift away from the Zimbabwean leader.
However, a unity government he formed in 2009 and a new constitution saw President Mugabe gaining new legitimacy at home.
His ruling Zanu PF party won overwhelmingly in an election last year that was endorsed by SADC and the AU.
Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique would hold elections this year under President Mugabe’s watch.
He told regional leaders that the West should not be allowed to observe the polls because it was hostile to Africa.
'BRUTALITIES' IN GAZA
“As we saw in Zimbabwe, we of Africa know what the truth is, but there are others who think the truth can become untruth,” he said.
“And these are the people we don’t want. Why do they come if they are not objective?”
President Mugabe also took aim at Israel for its role in the Gaza conflict.
“It will be remiss of me if I conclude my remarks without reference to the recent brutalities that have been meted out against the Palestine people” he said.
“The Western world, which claims high moral ground on issues of human rights and the sanctity of life, have looked with moral and academic indifference while the Israeli army continues to butcher innocent women and children, all under the false guise of fighting terrorists.
