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Mugabe warns US president not to `dictate` to Africa
Harare, July 06: Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe warned today that president George W Bush will be spurned if he tries to dictate how southern African leaders should run their countries when he visits the region in the coming week.
Harare, July 06: Zimbabwe president Robert
Mugabe warned today that president George W Bush will be
spurned if he tries to dictate how southern African leaders
should run their countries when he visits the region in the
coming week.
"Any dictating to us will never be heeded by any of
us in this region," Mugabe told thousands of ruling party
supporters at a rally in southern Zimbabwe.
"If he (Bush) is coming to dictate to us to how we should run our countries, then we will say 'go back. Go home Yankee," Mugabe was shown on state television as saying.
Bush is due in South Africa on tuesday and wednesday as part of a tour of several African countries including Botswana, Uganda, Nigeria and Senegal. On friday Bush, speaking in an interview in Washington, called on South African president Thabo Mbeki to put pressure on Zimbabwe and the 79-year old Mugabe to hold fresh elections.
The US and Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) rejected Mugabe's victory in presidential elections last year, saying the poll was rigged and marred by violence.
Mbeki's policy toward Zimbabwe has been one of quiet diplomacy, which he contends is the most effective way of reconciling the government and the MDC. The opposition in Zimbabwe blames Mugabe's government for political tensions in the country as well as chronic economic and social hardships.
Bureau Report
"If he (Bush) is coming to dictate to us to how we should run our countries, then we will say 'go back. Go home Yankee," Mugabe was shown on state television as saying.
Bush is due in South Africa on tuesday and wednesday as part of a tour of several African countries including Botswana, Uganda, Nigeria and Senegal. On friday Bush, speaking in an interview in Washington, called on South African president Thabo Mbeki to put pressure on Zimbabwe and the 79-year old Mugabe to hold fresh elections.
The US and Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) rejected Mugabe's victory in presidential elections last year, saying the poll was rigged and marred by violence.
Mbeki's policy toward Zimbabwe has been one of quiet diplomacy, which he contends is the most effective way of reconciling the government and the MDC. The opposition in Zimbabwe blames Mugabe's government for political tensions in the country as well as chronic economic and social hardships.
Bureau Report