Free-Zim youths confront Mozambican president over Zim crisis

By Lance Guma
05 December 2006

Members of the militant pressure group Free-Zim Youth UK again took to the streets in London on Monday and gave visiting Mozambican president Armando Guebuza food for thought. The youths attended a gathering of African diplomats at the foreign policy institute in Chatham House, where the Mozambican president was guest speaker. They went into the venue disguised as Mozambican students and although they did not disrupt Guebuza during his address they took advantage of the question and answer session to query the Mozambican leader on his governments policy towards Zimbabwe in light of the ongoing crisis.

Alois Mbawara who heads the pressure group says they expressed their displeasure at the way Mozambique and other Southern African countries were failing to put pressure on Robert Mugabe to ensure free and fair elections. He says Guebuza spoke about how Mozambique was prioritising the fight against poverty, stressing the importance of good governance. Mbawara asked him why SADC had promised to appoint a troika team to visit Zimbabwe, ‘but has so far not done so. We want to know who is going, when they are going and what is their remit. Zimbabweans are dying while SADC dithers.’

The Mozambican president avoided answering any of the questions directly save to say Mozambique was ready to play its part in resolving the Zimbabwean crisis. Mbawara says he failed to specify any concrete plan of action by Mozambique or SADC. After the meeting it was the turn of the Zimbabwean ambassador to the United Kingdom, Gabriel Machinga, to be confronted. The youths surrounded Machinga outside the meeting venue. “On the pavement outside we surrounded Mr Machinga shouting: ‘Shame on you Machinga’ and held in front of his face a giant banner which read: ‘Mugabe wanted for murder,’ Mbawara added.’

Mbawara told Newsreel it was not their intention to embarrass the Mozambican leader but that, ‘During Ian Smith’s era of white minority rule, Mozambique played an important and valued role assisting the Zimbabwe freedom struggle. Now once again the people of Zimbabwe need our Mozambican brothers and sisters to help us free ourselves from Mugabe’s tyranny.’