My Western friends, In an article in Guardian News Service, Mr.Simon Jenkins sumed it up very well. Quote:" Britain has done enough damage to Zimbabwe. Prudence tells us please to shut up." Unquote. What do you think? Will Mr. Nelson Mandela's comments have any effect on Mr.Mugabe??.umm
270608

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Just shows how morally corrupt the ruling class in the UK are. You can be a despotic tyrant comitting crimes against humanity, but as long as you play ball with the goverments with their big buddy industrial friends then they'll look the other way and lavish honours on you. Pinochet/ Mugabe/Ceausesc

Steve K, Sevenoaks, Kent

Anybody ever wondered why Mbeki isn't speaking out Big buddies with Mugabe. Watch out SA

Brenda, Boksburg, South Africa

Why Sir Ian, you've gone quite pale.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan

Mr Mandela if you spent more time in your country with your machete under your belt sorting your countries problems the you created in the first place instead of sipping champange in your saville row suits,you spend more time in our country England than your own.Bring back Ian Smith,promblem solved.

T Stewart, Stourport-on-Severn, England

My comment for Marc from Antrim
Why?
He and his ex wife were also murders, have we forgot ?
Hypocrites rule for themselves.

T Stewart, Stourport-on-Severn, England

Seems Robert Mugabe doesn't care what Nelson Mandela has to say. Oscar Wilde springs to mind inexpicably to mind - "one of us has to go" - Now Robert I am thinking its you, have a nice trip

Jason Pearson, Toronto, Canada

The West is far from perfect. In Canada a large number of the native people live in abject poverty. They protest freely & peacefully. The point of course is they have the right to vote, protest without the governing party raping, murdering or torturing them. Why should Zimbaweans not have this right

Jason Pearson, Toronto, Canada

Finally the British Foreign office have seen the massive error of their "enforced" ways. Mugabe was put into power by "Lord" Carrington et al at the insistence of the British Foreign office, despite being told that he was a malicious nasty individual right from the v start, by the Rhodesian aliance

dean, Masvingo, Zim

That'll show him!

T. J. Cassidy, Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A.

where are our world leaders the U N etc.should it take a few words from Mandela --------------no everyone should speak out from every country, we have elected our leaders to speak for us. yet again the world is failing innocent people of all ages.an international delegation should go in and save all

s willis, swansea,

I agree with James Whale on SKY News in that Mandella seemed to tackle Zimbabwe very briefly
Almost as if he had to be seen to say something so he kept it short...very, very short and not too direct.
Blink and you'll miss it.

Phill, The Wirral, England

Wow! To think that Mugabe was in the Queens' & the British Government's good books eh? Fancy that...

ruby ahmad, Seremban , Malaysia

The attrocities commited against the people of Zimbabwe by this Tyrant of a leader is more than the brief description of what the Zimbabweans are suffering from the Iconic Figure in the person of Nelson.What they are really suffering from is ''Absolute brutality and Tyranny''.

Dan Knox, Onitsha, Nigeria

Well if stripping him of his knighthood doesn't work I don't know what will.
I should think Mugabe had a good laugh at that one.

GJB, Slough, Berkshire

HRH should perhaps have waited until the day before his execution for war crimes. Lets hope this does not reduce the need for proceeding down that road.
At last Madiba! Our reptation in SA has been rapidly tarnishing with our inactivity.

Roger Bath, George, South Africa

I wonder if the murdered, tortured and beaten people of Zimbabwe think it is a "tragic failure of leadership" or something a bit more.
Is this how Mr Mandela would have described the people in power in South Africa 25 years ago ?
Was good of him to at least say something though, I suppose !

E Lynam, Kent, UK

At last Mandela has spoken out against Magabe, although describing Magabe's behaviour as a tragic failure of leadership hardly cuts it! that could apply to many leaders without blood on their hands!
Perhaps the Pope will now be encouraged to speak out against this murderous member of his flock!

I J, Wisbech, UK

It's good that the great man has condemned Mugabe, but when I heard the words “tragic failure of leadership,” my first thought was that Mandela was referring to Mbeki - a weak leader indeed. However, Mugabe's crimes go well beyond 'weak leadership'. His leadership is murderous and incompetent.

Kevin Miller, Tonbridge,

Mugabe is a thug! By not criticising him African leaders have identified with him. Poor mothers have no food because the government burnt crops as a great way of killing off your tribe. The police/hospital are part of the problem and the a West self absorbed giant with unending Arms does nothing.

Jas, Alders, UK

Our ten foot tall forefathers who had strong beliefs & understood there God given mission, were not riven with hand wringing guilt for stopping tribal conflict, building roads, bridges, hospitals a legal system, established a bread basket & a huge mining centre where people were well fed.

Jas, Alders, UK

Take into account the fact that Mandela has made no political statement whatsoever since he left office. He handed leadership over to others. That he has broken his rule of silence now means a great deal, much more than it may seem to the casual observer.

Ruth, Johannesburg,

I read all these comments and felt digusted by the fact that all you people including me sit on our backsides and blame and intellectualise every problem in the world, shame we don't get of our backsides and go do something, "wasted energy" WE SHOULD ALL FEEL ASHAMED AND STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE

Yvonne, Edinburgh, Scotland

Spin and more spin. Mandela first condemned the viscious killing and violence of other Africans in South Africa itself and then simply said there was a "tragic lack of leadership" in Zimbabwe. I think like all Zimbabweans he meant on both sides of the political divide for that is the case.

Roger Ndaba , St Albans, UK

Aren't we all so smart, ego know it alls. Have been there and collected the scars to prove it. To those who criticise Mandela, how many of you defied the draconian laws of apartheid that made you a second-class voteless non-citizen of a country in which you were born and spent years behind bars.

Murray Chatteron, Adelaide, Australia

I''m sick to death of people commenting on this blog calling on the UN,or US/UK etc to intervene in Zimbabwe knowing full well it is an internal matter. If Mr.Mugabe is a dictator, his opposition is a puppet. Zims need a strong non-aligned leader who can steer the ship free from outside influence

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

The loss of a British knighthood is certainly no big deal and easily the least of Mugabe's worries. But Conor is right - even if RM wanted to bow out there are many others in the JOC whose concern for their own skin means they wouldn't dare let him...!
But not many people in the West grasp that.

John Jay, Walton on Thames, UK

James Davis,

How can you describe trying to stop murder and torture as meddling?
Why did it take Mandela so long to intervene?
Will Gordon send in his best men to take back the medal now rescinded?
Tune in, in 10 years time, and read all about it in World Leaders Memoirs-How we failed humanity

Marc, Antrim,

James Davis obviously does not realise that Zimbabwe is a totally different scenario to Venezuela. You only have to look at the inflation rate of 165000% to know that something is desperately wrong. From being a beacon of hope in Africa to a corrupt "dictatorship" of a State.

Nick, London, UK

In Africa, they dealt th cards so let them play them.There are plentyof rich African states to bail out the poor ones. Their tourist industry is finished, what a suprise..

m wilson , bidache, france

Do you honestly think invading Zimbabwe is a good idea? A better question is why are we in Afghanistan and Iraq?

MM, Chicago, US

I agree that Mr. Mandela and other African leaders should have earlier condemned the actions of Mugabe and taken stronger positions as Mugabe hit is grand aria in despotic rule during the first ballot.
The UN and other democratic African nations should send a clear message sooner rather than later.

Pemba, Tampa, USA

Anglo American state they want to go ahead because they support the 650 workers. What complete rubbish, it is about money and lots of it.

If they want to support the 650 workers then give them food and money without having the mine working, this would solve the problem without giving Mugabe money

joe, Edinburgh, Scotland

Let Anglo abandon Zimbabwe? Sure, let China buy in instead. They have no problems sending arms. They're already buying up all the natural resources in South America.

Nic Nieuwoudt, Sydney, Australia

Hmmn? Undemocratic unelected octogenarian head of state strips undemocratically elected octogenarian head of state of meaningless anochronistic award. Some delusional symmetry there. Way to go Betty.

Robert Stephenson, Hong Kong,

Nicolae Ceausescu and Robert Mugabe have both received honorary knighthoods. Honestly??? Who is in charge of deciding these things? Not the best judgement so far. Who's next, Lord Ahmadinejad of Tehran?

John Marshall, Beijing,

Why don't Western leaders stop acting as though they are truly concerned about the conditions in Zimbabwe and let Robert Mugabe kill the remaining members of the MDC in peace?

Billy , Salisbury,

In 1993 I, together with a hoard of regular clients of Selfridges, was kept behind a rope in the men's shoe department while Mugabe surrounded by his band of thugs was browsing.

How the reality of his personality has only now been seen for what he always has been..

REB, Sydney, Australia

So Saint Nelson of Mandela has only now finally deigned to utter a few bland words? Mugabe has been a murdering thug for nearly 30 years. Of course since he is a creation of the sanctimonious Western left, we are only allowed to notice his thuggery after the evidence became blindingly obvious.

MaryJ, San Francisco, USA

I only wish that America/or Another Country Had the military might to take out any Dictator that does these things to the PEOPLE of any country that is peace loving...this GUY (Mugabe) should be taken out. America is NOT perfect, But "WE THE PEOPLE "and The VOTE RULES. LET THE PEOPLE RULE.

James, Walker, Louisiana /USA

Should Mugabe ever be ousted, he will be seeking a refuge. If he makes it to this country (and let's face it, hardly anyone is turned away), I can see our government giving him asylum and we taxpayers will be paying to keep him - and his cronies - in comfort for the rest of their days.

Maggie, Oxford, England

Why are we in Afghanistan and Iraq but not in Zimbabwe? What about Rwanda?No one did anything then. Its despicable that such atrocities are going on and many act as if nothing was going on at all. Then maybe someone will make a movie about it in a couple of years and THEN people will care!

LG, London, UK

Too little too late. Even if Mugabe stepped down now, there are still his "Veterans" to deal with. They will not give up their food, and living, without fighting to the death.

We are looking at another Darfur.......Zimbabwe is finished. And the world will be picking up the pieces.

Carrie, London,

With a Zimbabean son-in-law and having visited the country over the past few years I thought Mugabe was mad. My mistake...in this country he would be described as being as cunning as cornered rat. The sooner everyone realises you match cunning with cunning the quicker this shambles will be sorted.

ROBERT A CARLISLE, wollongong, Australia

Britain only cares because Mugabe kicked white farmers out and wants to protect Zimbabweans with British roots. Why didn't Britain go after Ian Smith with military force? Mugabe is an anglophile at heart and this bunch in the Foreign Office lacked the diplomatic skills to use this.

Jacqui, London,

Gee. What took him so long?

Bruce Northwood, Washington, D.C. , USA

I''m sick to death of people commenting on this blog stating; If only there was oil etc. etc. Can you please let it rest and concentrate on the issue at hand i.e. a mad, vile Dictator killing his own people in the name of Democracy! If you have an issue with anything else - wait till Mugabe is gone

LT, Warminster, UK

poor mandela - he is 90 -he should be allowed to rest- he spent half his life trying to get equality for his people - mugabe is like a slap in the face...ag shame...as for the west not getting involved? if they don't it only shows they get involved when there is something in it for them ie :oil....

gill, qld, australia

Too little, too late Mandela. Even though your words have impact, you could have spoken out a long time ago. The same goes to the Western Media and governments. Mbeki is just plain ignorant. He will speak out when everything's over. Ian Smith and the whites warned the world, but they didn't listen.

Gil, Funchal, Portugal

African countries should take responsibility for their own governance. That said, it tires me when that logic is used by Western commentators to deny their historical complicity in the state of many African countries. It places the blame for Africa's mess solely on Africans. A convenient elision.

John , Eugene, USA

Mugabe received his knighthood in 94 which was 10 years after his 5th brigade had thrown thousands of Matabele down mine shafts,this was when the Genocide started.Oh! Thanks for the input Nelson , your 20 years to late though.Maybe earlier critisism would have avoided the past 28 years of violence.

Ed Allen, Whitby, Canada

"He is finally succumbed to western bullying .." So he failed to succumb to decades of imprisonment but now he weakens?Please. Face it Ezhi, you are just an apologist for a demented, despotic and desparate African Tyrant. Mandela has immense moral authority and he has shown that coward Mbeki up.

Mike, Singapore,

He is finally succumbed to western bullying to condemn Mugabe. Anybody whether good or bad that wants to be a friend of the White world, must begin to demonise Mugabe!

Ezhi Opfu, London, UK

The World needs to step up their obligations and for once do something about stopping a genocide before it is too late like Rwanda.

Charl, Boerne, USA

This is stinging criticism? Could he be any more bland and middle-of-the-road? Mugabe's reign of terror should move the U.N. to have him removed from power; by force if necessary. No other 'leader' in the world would get away with the things this guy is doing to other human beings. Windbags all.

therockofages, Tampa, USA/FL

Does Mugabe honestly care whether he retains his knighthood? Disgrace he was awarded it in the first-place! Mandela, too late mate. Mbeki's quiet diplomacy speaks volumes for his leadership. The writing has long been on the wall for Zim. World only waking now? Another African success story. SA next.

David, Melbourne, Australia

Why did Mandela take so long to say anything about Mugabe? His silence has been deafening.

Les H, Zhangzhou, China

Mandela has known for many years what was going on there and didn't lift his finger once. I've never shared the idolatry for this guy.

Neither am I a fan of Mugabe, but the West should stay out of the equation all together. Not of our business!

robert, vancouver, BC

Should Morgan Tsvangirai win any elections soon, the west will celebrate and he'll be propped up as necessary.

Give a few years time, he'll probably booed by the west. Osama, Saddam, Idi Amin, now Mugabe, once pawns and staunch allies of the western powers, are now pariahs. Time will tell.

Mo, Essex, UK

Nelson Mandela spend 27 years in prison and he liberated South Africa, I admire him for that but I think he should have done more for poor South Africans. 9 Million black South Africans lives in shanty towns with no toilets and there are too many murders in South African.

Rusununguko, London, UK

When good people look away evil prospers.
How many more lives should Mugabe take before something can be done? Should the peace loving people of Zimbabwe and other aspiring democracies believe that democracy can bring change and work?
Do we truly believe in spreading democracy and peace?

Bingo Xola, Chicago, USA

awfully nice of the tories to give him a knighthood in the first place.

mike, newport, uk

The previous round of sanctions forced Mugabe to give up his Rolls-Royce in exchange for a top of the line Merc. Surely we can do better. After Rwanda, it was supposed to be "never again". Congratulations to Nelson Mandela for speaking out. His successor Mbeki has been a total failure.

Philip Machanick, Brisbane, Australia

As my late Father always said re post Colonial Africa. 1 man, 1 vote, Once! J'accuse, not the British or other governments who have not been allowed to influence Southern Africa for a generation, but the likes of Mandela, Mbeki etc who have known about Mugabe's genocidal acticivities for 20+ years.

Tommy T, London,

This would have all been unnecessary if South Africa, which has the most powerful military in the regon, would have taken over Zim militarily with the help of other locals last year and tnen held an election to replace that evil man. Mandela or not, SA has a lot of responsibility for this crime.

Jerome Stoll, Newport Beach, USA

Mr. Mandela has chosen to plant his flag on the moral high ground for decades. He has criticised any hint of real-politic from Western leaders. He has stood for nothing less than uncompromising idealism. For him to now describe Mugabe's conduct as a mere "failure of leadership" is inexcusable.

Tom Holmes, London, UK

On behalf of Ian Smith - "I told you so."

Dennis, Johannesburg, South Africa.

That's a really effective way to deal with him, isn't it, strip him of his Knighthood and ban a cricket match. Presumably he doesn't have enough oil or anything else of use for us to be really concerned about the situation.

Paul Downes, Milton Keynes, UK

The motives of the foreign meddling in these affairs are clear, "the world" (the west really) Can not accept a leadership that does not support them and will do anything including launching a hate campaign against the opposition. Just look at the overthrowing of chavez in venezuela by a pro US gov

James Davis, london,

I don't know what's sadder; one man who has destroyed millions of lives or a world which stands back and does nothing while he does it. Our leaders as human beings should be ashamed.

Kerry, London, UK

Thank God Mandela has spoken out. Will Mbeki be brave enough to follow now?

Philip Haggar, London, UK

How long will we have to wait before Africa can find leaders that are capable of ruling their own people? Blaming colonial powers carry no weight when you wear a suit made by Saville Row, Bobby Mug.

Derek Wiggins, Amsterdam,

Mugabe may have a lot to lose but the members of the JOC have even more. Even if he wanted to bow out he wouldn't be allowed.

Conor, london,

I am pleased that Mandela has blasted Mugabe but nothing will change.The solution has & always will be in SA's hands. If the Apartheid government could force out Smith than Mbeki & ANC can take the same action against a "Black" Smith. SA has to lead and bring its neighbours along to make a change

Jason Pearson, Toronto, Canada

Mugabe will go, one way or another but that is not the issue. It is not just Mugabe but the hundreds or thousands of "thugs" working for him who will still be around. The situation here is analagous to Iraq, there will undoubtedly be revenge killings etc. Zimbabwe is no more.

Tony, Morgan Hill, California, USA

The editor of "The Times" said on last night's "Daily Show" (US) that the only two people in the world with the moral authority to condemn Zimbabwe were Mandela and Barack Obama. What about Diane Abbot? If you're going to be that transparent, why not Gary Coleman ("What you talkin' about, Mugabe?”)?

Kevin, London,

It never ceases to amaze me how the Western Countries like the UK and USA such up to these leaders ,like for example Mugabe and Saddam Hussein , and then realise what a big error they have made. They gave Mugabe a knighthood, they gave Hussein biological weapons .

Kev, London, UK

Royalty strips a despot of his token peerage. That'll teach 'em. Go democracy!

Rad, Milford, Surrey

Removing his knighthood should give Mugabe a laugh. About as useful as stopping the Zimbabweans taking part in cricket.
What a load of inconsequential twaddle. Really no help at all.

Colin, Carmarthen, UK

I wonder how long it will be before Mark Thatcher has his knighthood revoked?

godfrey Jones, Oslo, Norway

Bring back the british empire,

shaun, knaphill, surrey

God Bless the Queen !

RJ Greene, Sarasota, Fl., USA

"...abject disregard for the democratic process"

Oh, sorry, I thought this was about the British Government and the EU self-selected elite.

Why doesn't the Queen do something about the dictators closer to home?

MrsG, Wxm, Wales

I can't beleive that this monster has been allowed to carry out his vile deeds for so long.
Political intervention will only delay the desired result, send in the Mercenaries now!!

Bernie , Suffolk, UK

Send the SAS in for goodness sake. Though they'd have to fight by Marquis of Queensbury rules of course......this is Britain after all.

Nigel, Lincoln,

How ironic it is that the mess in Zimbabwe would have been sorted out long ago if the country happened to be in possession of oil...

Matt, Northumberland,

The Queen could not remove the knighthood without being advised to by the Government. Therefore the Government should be blamed for the delay.

To correct a comment made earlier, Mugabe was not a Knight of the Order of the British Empire, he was a Knight of the Order of the Bath.

Ryan, Mid Glamorgan,

To reply to "I'm frankly surprised Mugabe had a knighthood in the first place": an honorary KCB or GCB is customarily given to foreign heads of state when they visit Britain, as it was when Mugabe visited in 1994.

In my opinion, this revocation is long overdue!

Craig, London, UK

It will have no effect but that isn't the point. This thieving guttersnipe has no right to any form of honour after destroying his own country and turning his fellow citizens into paupers. He did exactly what his worst enemies said he was going to do and has never cared about anyone but himself.

Mark Lawden, Leicester, UK

Who cares, nothing is going to change in Africa

Mark, Swinton, England

Freezing his and wife's foreign assets to stop her shopping trips would be more upsetting to him. Though given his tyrannical and paranoid nature, the gesture could cause him to flip.

Chris, Cambridge, UK

What took HMQ so long? I'm frankly surprised Mugabe had a knighthood in the first place.

And Jason from Vancouver, why do you apologize for someone else's "sarcasm" when the above observations are perfectly legitimate points: Mugabe has been a monster for years . . .

andre, san francisco, ca, usa

A bit late!

Bergman Coffey, Belfast , UK

Whether you strip him of his title or not this has no bearing on Mugabe. He could not care less if you did. Maybe people should do things that will actually have an effect on Mugabe. There is too much talking going on about how much wrong he has done btu not enough action.

Anesu , London , England

That'll scare the living daylights out of him.

E J Murray, Kerry, Ireland

I find it odd that this government can take the moral highground with Robert Mugabe for his 'abject disregard for the democratic process', when that is EXACTLY what the EU has done with Irelands' 'No vote' on the treaty!
Both parties have said "Wrong answer, vote again."
What's the difference?

David, Bath, England

Good gesture but unfortunately wont make a blind bit of difference.

Andrew, Middlesbrough,

I am sure he will immediately resign upon hearing this, I am sure it will make him see the error of his ways. Are we seriously paying the brain trust of the Foreign Office to come up with these ideas or is Sir Humpfrey Appleby in charge over there now?

Apologies to HMQ for the sarcasm above

Jason Pearson, Toronto, Canada

Better than nothing. Would have preferred to see his regime changed rather than Saddam's.

And so much for David Miliband's dismisal of that proposal when he appeared on Question Time two weeks ago.

MarkS, Leeds,

Robert Mugabe had a knighthood?
Makes a mockery of the system.....

Jobson, Hartlepool, England

Don't know how he got a knighthood in the first place.
He hates British colonial rule and always has.
How could he have accepted to honour of being a Knight of the British Empire - typical politician - double standards.

alan routledge, chester, england

Only now? Why has this taken so long?

Mike, London,

It took this long? Glad to see she has her finger on the pulse...

Matt, London,

Well that should have him shaking in his boots.

Richard, London,

that will teach him! oh i forgot he hates the british.

bob, wirral,