Sports Calendar

During the summit Mr Mugabe sought to convince delegates that international protest against his Government amounted to Western meddling in African affairs. He addressed the summit’s closing session at length, but would not speak to reporters or issue any public statements.

According to delegates, he fended off his critics in closed-door sessions, comparing his defiance of international condemnation to his historic role as a liberation hero, for which he commands lingering respect.

The tactic appeared to work as efforts to condemn Mr Mugabe in stronger terms at the summit — notably by Mompati Merafhe, the Vice-President of Botswana — foundered.

Mr Merafhe’s motion was defeated, but Mr Mugabe thanked him for his “constructive criticism.”

Voices of Africa

‘Representatives of the current Government in Zimbabwe should be excluded from African Union meetings’

Mompati Merafhe, Botswana Vice-President

‘The people of Zimbabwe have been denied their democratic rights. We should condemn what has happened’

President Koroma of Sierra Leone

‘They should suspend him and send peace forces to ensure free and fair elections’

Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya

‘Odinga’s hands drip with blood, raw African blood. And that blood is not going to be cleansed by any amount of abuse of Zimbabwe’

George Charamba, Mr Mugabe’s spokesman

‘He was elected, he took an oath, and he is here with us, so he is President and we cannot ask him more’

President Bongo of The Gambia

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