Mugabe Denies Cholera Case as South Africa Declares Disaster

by AlvarezGalloso | December 11, 2008 at 06:26 am

249 views | 27 Recommendations | 9 comments

Robert Mugabe [in a nationally televised speech] has denied that Cholera exists in Zimbabwe because it "does not exist anymore". He further suggested to Gordon Brown the following: "Your head needs to go for some medical examination".

He further accused the West of using the Cholera Epidemic as a pretext for invading Zimbabwe by saying that Britain "could be invaded because of mad cow disease". All of this comes in the light of a deteriorating health and sanitary services in the country with 783 dead and 16,403 infected. The World Health Organization [WHO] has repeatedly talked about the total reaching 60,000.

South Africa has declared an emergency in the province of Vhembe which borders Zimbabwe on the Limpopo River. The State of Emergency includes the border town of Musina. The Health Minister Barbara Hogan has visited the area and will do an assessment on the situation. Regardless, South Africa has not asked Mugabe to resign and the power sharing agreement is dead.

According to the IOL of South Africa, Mugabe is afraid of resigning because of the possibility of a war crimes trial. Gwede Mantashe who is the General Secretary of the ANC has decided that direct talks between countries and parties [ANC and ZANU-PF] could convince Mugabe to go but cannot guarantee his safety.

Will there be an invasion by African Countries? Will the African Union and SADC take stronger measures as proposed by Botswana and Kenya? Could a spread of a disease from one country to another [because of an unwillingness of the home government where the disease started to control it] constitute an invasion or a crime against humanity?

Is there anybody listening?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7777178.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7776897.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7771643.stm

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20081211131954962C199078

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Paschen

at 06:51 on December 11th, 2008

off course he would deny it, what else can one expect from Mugabe nowadays.

South Africa and the OUA or AUO should get their act together and intervene once and for all. Arrest Mugabe and trial him in an African or International court for Human rights violation and genocide onto his own people. Enough is enough.

muigwithania (not verified)

at 07:34 on December 11th, 2008

Why are some in the west so driven to make Mugabe look bad .President Robert Mugabe said Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak is under control he did not say there was no cholera. Report the facts .This are some of the reasons why Africans and the African Union continue to support Mugabe. It seems like there is a hidden agenda.Even simple statements by the man are quickly twisted by the European media

Paschen

at 08:42 on December 11th, 2008

OUA does not support Mugabe though, nor does SA they just do not want to intervene in part because it is a mess in Zimbabwe and will demand major resources to control and re-establish order and basic standards.

Blue Crush

at 19:44 on December 11th, 2008

"So now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war anymore. We need doctors, not soldiers," he said during an hour-long address broadcast live on state television.

Those were his words.

Ndungu (not verified)

at 11:26 on December 11th, 2008

Paschen I wonder how you concluded that the AU and SA do not support Mugabe . Just because individuals within those countries speak out against Mugabe doesnt mean the official government position is against Mugabe . Look at Kenya for example . Western media is quick to point out that Kenya called for the removal of Mugabe. Yet the official government position is different . The ceremonial prime minister Raila odinga was expressing his personal opinion. The Executive President of Kenya, Kenya' s foreign Minister all have a different position.Raila Odinga is charged with handling limited domestic issues in Kenya.Not even the Kenyan police report to him.How then can the press claim that Kenya is against Mugabe. The Kenyan government and its people still consider Mugabe a Hero in Africa

If the west stayed out of this issue Mugabe would soon fade into history. The fact that he is a liberation Hero and the continued attack by the west on him only solidify his support. People in africa wonder why the west has been silent over the tragedy in somalia and congo but outspoken on zimbabwe .

Miriam Mannak

at 04:05 on December 12th, 2008

Mugabe went from liberation 'hero' straight to murderer. Let's not forget he ordered for thousands of Ndebele people to be slaughtered in cold blood in the 1980s. That is not justifiable.

But, you a right with regards to other tragedies in Africa. The DRC deserves much more attention then it is getting, and the same counts for Somalia and Darfur. I think that the fact that the cholera outbreak has turned into an international matter (3 countries affected), has created more attention from the international community for Zim. Which isn't perse bad -> I remember not too long ago the international community was criticized heavily for not paying attention to `zim.

muigwithania 2.0 (not verified)

at 06:01 on December 14th, 2008

Miriam we all agree that Mugabe is not an angle. But picture this 400 plus people died in Nigeria jos riots and the coverage with european media was limited at best .On the same week 100 or so people rioted in Harare and that was big news. We have been hearing of Mugabes so called colapse for months now that it has become a joke. Somali people continue to suffer and 3 million people have died in the Congo while UN troops on the ground rape congolese omen and national resources(sic).How do you expect right think Africans to listen to Raila and Annan on Mugabe when they are silent on this bigger injustices. Kofi Annan cant make up for those killed in rwanda under his watch by calling himself an African elder. This is a PR experience in futility .Let the AU sort of this mess in its own way.Why is the west so concern about Zimbabwe.Are zimbabweans the only ones dying in Africa?(and I dont say that because i dont value the lives that are being lost)

Miriam Mannak

at 07:59 on December 14th, 2008

As you could have read from my other posts and comments - I am very well aware about what is happening in DRC / Somalia / Darfur and other places in Africa. My folks live in the DRC, I grew up in Angola and Rwanda, and visited many other African countries. Yes, I do know about other tragedies. I too lost many friends in the genocide in Rwanda.

The west is concerned with Zimbabwe at this moment, but it will pass. Like the attention for Rwanda / Darfur / DRC/ etc diluted to nothing. Soon there will be some other tragedy catching the world's attention and Zimbabwe will be forgotten again.

I personally write about Zim because it is very close to home. The same reason why I have written about the DRC and Rwanda over the past years. Not a good excuse but hey ...