Mandela Attacks Mugabe's "Tragic Failure of Leadership"



Nelson Mandela, the most respected man on the continent of Africa, came out against the despotic leadership of Robert Mugabe. Of his despotic regime and the attendant "African Dictator Chic" this blog has written often. Now the world -- Africa, particularly -- is faced with the choice of whether to allow his sham election to stand, or to finally gather the collective will to put an end to Mugabe's iron-fisted rule. From FT:

"Zimbabwe’s neighbours increased diplomatic pressure on Robert Mugabe on Wednesday night as Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, broke years of silence to describe Zimbabwe’s crisis as a 'tragic failure of leadership.'

"Mr Mandela chose what is potentially one of his last international appearances to add his moral voice to the mounting criticism across Africa of Mr Mugabe’s role in the collapse of what was once one of the continent’s most prosperous countries.

"He described Zimbabwe in the context of some of the world’s enduring disasters, saying: 'Nearer to home we had seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighbouring Zimbabwe,” and implored younger generations to 'rid the world of such suffering.'

"His remarks were brief but will be far harder for Mr Mugabe to dismiss than criticisms from former colonial power Britain and other western countries."

More here.