By Violet Gonda
7 July 2005

The saga with the envoy from the African Union continues. Many have described as bizarre a move by the Mugabe regime telling the African Union to withdraw its envoy and to follow "proper procedures."
Outspoken critic Dr John Makumbe says the government is desperate to control information and is trying to keep the two envoys currently in the country from meeting and influencing each other. He said while its highly likely that UN envoy Anna Tibaijuka will write a damning report about the government's chaotic "clean up exercise" the AU, because of Mugabe's influence, is likely to write an adverse report.
The envoy, Tom Nyandunga, a rapporteur for refugees on the AU Commission on Human and People's Rights, has been in Zimbabwe since Sunday to investigate the regime's so called clean up exercise. But the government refuses to clear him, saying his mission was un-procedural and in breach of protocol.
Makumbe said even if this was the case this can easily be sorted out. He said the government is deliberately dragging it's feet when it can simply send a fax or email to Addis Abba.
The envoy holds a very senior position in the AU commission and some people wonder why there has been no outcry from the mother body about how he is being treated. Critics say this goes to show that the AU is toothless and is hampered by it crippling adherence to protocol. Dr Makumbe said, "AU silence is typical, their senior official is held incommunicado and it says nothing. It's a toothless bulldog."
Our source told us that the envoy is stuck at the Ambassador hotel. He is not allowed to do anything and it's reported that he has not even conducted an unofficial site visit to see the effects of the crackdown in Harare.
Makumbe added, "The AU envoy is unlikely to see anything until Friday when the UN envoy leaves and then he will be shown specific places by the Mugabe regime."