Our reputation is at stake

We never expected anything from a bunch of leaders, most of whom are in power through means that would make Mugabe's one man run-off elections a heavenly affair. What should you expect from the likes of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, Swaziland's King Mswati and many other African dictators who do not understand the ways of democracy?

The AU has called for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe. Is this the best that the AU can do? Mugabe persecutes his people by unleashing state apparatus on them, denies them the right to elect a leader of their choice and African leaders decide to turn a blind eye to all these merely to protect a fellow despot. Instead we have fellow travellers such as Omar Bongo of Gabon calling on African leaders to accept Mugabe's sham elections.