Mugabe attacks Khama over Venson-Moitoi AU loss
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday October 4, 2017 18:00
Mugabe was yesterday visiting South Africa to co-chair the Binational Commission with President Jacob Zuma. When introducing his Foreign Affairs Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Mugabe praised him saying he worked hard to win Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma the AU Chair and wanted to put Venson-Moitoi in the post.
Venson-Moitoi was the Southern African Development Community (SADC) candidate. Mugabe said all but one man worked hard to win Venson-Moitoi the chair.
The Zimbabwean leader said President Khama did not lobby enough for his minister, who was beaten to the post by Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat.
He said it was an impossible mission for Botswana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to win because her President does not attend AU meetings.
“The poor lady couldn’t do what Madam Zuma had done. We worked hard. They worked hard, sweated. They sweated, you sweated, we sweated [sic]. One man did not sweat. He stayed at home and expected wonders would happen. They didn’t happen,” he said.
He said they were sorry about Venson-Moitoi’s loss.
“Everybody just said, ‘you, we have not seen your President here. He doesn’t attend our meetings and what would happen if we placed our organisation in your hands, in his hands. So sorry lady, we won’t give you the votes. She worked hard. She was very sorry to lose. We were also very sorry because we knew in advance that we were trying an impossible one,” Mugabe said.
It is not the first time that Mugabe has attacked Khama on the issue. Mugabe was quoted by Zimbabwean press upon his return from the AU meeting early in the year saying Khama did not support Venson-Moitoi.
When contacted, government spokesperson, Jeff Ramsay said he could not comment on the issue.