EU denies plot to oust Mugabe

The European Union (EU) was “not out to get” President Robert Mugabe or the ruling ZANU-PF party, but was extremely concerned that Zimbabwe’s economic performance is the worst since independence. Roger Moore, the EU commissioner who heads the unit that deals with issues on Zimbabwe, was quoted in news reports on Wednesday as saying that Harare was once regarded as the “blue-eyed boy of Africa”, but had now become “a problem child”. Moore said he met Mugabe last month and expressed concern at the deteriorating political and economic situation in Zimbabwe.

“Mugabe now feels isolated by the EU because we have given him very tough conditions to adhere to. We have expressed our concern about the judiciary, political violence, threats made to journalists from the independent media, as well as the deteriorating economic climate in Zimbabwe. In fact, South Africa is now also crying foul because Zimbabwe is performing badly,” Moore added.

He said that EU was not “telling Zimbabwe what to do”, but was merely expressing concern at the deteriorating political and economic climate. “There are certain actors in Zimbabwe who have a propensity for world publicity. We are not out to get Mugabe or ZANU-PF out of power. We are simply saying they must rule by the book and allow the country to be governed constitutionally. There must be continued dialogue in order for the country to return to normalcy,” Moore said.