British Queen Strips Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe of Knighthood

The British Monarch on Wednesday evening stripped the embattled Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe of his honorary Knighthood over what Britain describes as his (Mugabe) “abuse of human rights” and “abject disregard” for democracy.

The UK leadership had been sitting over the decision for the past several weeks with all political parties’ MPs in the country united in suggestion that the Zimbabwean leader should not have been accorded such an exalted honor in the first place.

The Queen has now approved the rare annulment of the honor conferred on Mugabe 14 years ago on the recommendation of the UK Foreign Office, marked by international pressure growing against Mugabe and his ZANU-PF government.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband, said the move is in order as the Zimbabwean leader faces condemnation from around the world ahead of Friday’s presidential run-off.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also revealed that he has decided to block a Zimbabwe cricket tour of England planned for next year.

Mugabe, whose supporters forced the opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai to pull out of a presidential election run-off slated for Friday – June 27, was accorded a ‘Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Bath’ during a state visit in 1994.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s opposition leader briefly emerged from his refuge at the Dutch embassy on Wednesday, calling for African leaders to guide talks to end Zimbabwe’s crisis, saying that “a presidential run-off Friday is no solution”.

His daughter, Miss Rubi Tsvangirai, who is currently leading a rally in Canada and Australia for her father’s MDC party, had described the MDC leader as “the people’s president, urging that his mandate be restored.

She speaks along her father’s advocacy that the goal of any negotiations with the MDC would be forming a coalition transitional authority for the Southern Africa country.

Amid political uncertainties beclouding Zimbabwe, observers say they are baffled at Mugabe growing only more defiant in the face of growing international pressure, which has forced the MDC leader to call for military intervention from the UN and African Union to save Zimbabwe from further chaos and blood-letting.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher