Mugabe critics can "go hang"
Robert Mugabe is at the summit in Egypt
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Tuesday, 01, Jul 2008 07:14
A spokesman for Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe has told critics of last week's runoff election they can "go hang".
George Charamba's comments came at an African Union (AU) summit in Egypt where leaders have been forced to confront Mr Mugabe's legitimacy on the second day of their summit.
"They can go and hang a thousand times, they have no basis, they have no claim on Zimbabwe politics at all," Mr Charamba said of the international community.
He rejected calls to organise a powersharing deal with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), as was seen earlier this year in Kenya.
There the Orange Democratic Movement's Raila Odinga was appointed prime minister under Mwai Kibaki but Mr Charamba added: "Kenya is Kenya, Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe."
Mr Odinga has been among those calling on Zimbabwe to be suspended from the AU but others, like Gabon's leader Omar Bongo, are insisting the 84-year-old's election last Friday means he is a leader deserving recognition.
UN officials at the summit in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort are backing secretary general Ban Ki-moon's calls for negotiation between Mr Mugabe's government and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The AU commission's chairperson Jean Ping told delegates yesterday: "Africa must assume fully its responsibilities and do all within its power to help the Zimbabwean parties to work together, in the supreme interest of their country, to overcome the current challenges."
The US is preparing more immediate action against Harare in the form of renewed sanctions.
White House spokesperson Dana Perrino told journalists yesterday they "would be targeted to the leader and his cronies and then those who support the regime".