ZwNews.com
The seizure of a consignment of the books written by former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo by the state at the Robert Mugabe International Airport last Wednesday, has exposed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hatred of democracy.
Obasanjo came to officiate the launch of a book titled Democracy Works: Turning Politics to Africa’s Advantage, co-authored with MDC deputy chairperson Tendai Biti, Liberia’s former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Greg Mills from the Brenthurst Foundation and American Jewish University president Jeffrey Herbst.
It is reported that upon his arrival, state agents pounced on the cargo and confiscated a consignment of the democracy book.
Despite the seizure, the launch went on, with the former Nigerian leader lambasting Zimbabwe’s coup leadership fronted by Mnangagwa.
Obasanjo described Zimbabwe’s so-called military assisted transition as an out right coup adding that military rule is not healthy for the country.
He said in Nigeria, the country achieved more in 8 years than that was achieved 16 years of military rule. “Accepting corrupted and massively rigged elections is not the way to go,” he said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Elder Mabhunu says Mnangagwa conceded an own goal by trying to embarrass a former head of state. “As the former president of another state, Obasanjo is an international figure, and was supposed to be welcomed by the government officials and accorded some honour by the host government.
However, Mnangagwa’s administration failed to honour protocol, let alone confiscating his books,” says Mabhunu. “It is such seemingly little actions that sends wrong signals to the world.”
Mnangagwa is currently struggling to get the country back into the family of nations, after years of isolation, and despite his promises to promote re-engagement efforts, Mnangagwa has been making grave mistakes since coming to power through a military coup in November 2017.
Obasanjo, in 2003, barred President Robert Mugabe from attending a Commonwealth summit hosted by Nigeria resulting in then egocentric Mugabe to withdraw Zimbabwe from the club, further drifting into the isolation island.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 after Mugabe was accused of rigging the presidential vote while viciously clamping down on the opposition, Mugabe could not stomach the suspension and he left, describing the grouping as ‘just’ a club.
zwnews
