Kenyan Prime Minister says "Mugabe Must Go"

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002740 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPAO KE SUBJECT: Kenyan Prime Minister says "Mugabe Must Go" ¶1. Speaking at an international press conference on December 7 in Nairobi, Prime Minister Raila Odinga called Robert Mugabe's government a "vile dictatorship" that must be stopped. Odinga urged the African Union to send troops to end the humanitarian crisis, or allow the UN to do so. "The international community must respond to the call of the African people and help end this murderous reign of Mugabe," Odinga said. Asked why President Kibaki has yet to address publicly the Zimbabwean crisis, Odinga confirmed he was doing so on behalf of the GOK. ¶2. Odinga also said he called for Mugabe's isolation in recent talks with Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa's governing African National Congress party. "I do believe strongly that if the leadership in South Africa took a firm stand and told Mugabe to quit he will have no choice but to do so," Odinga said. Aligning himself with the PM, Moody Awori, former Kenyan Vice President, said the situation in Zimbabwe is on the verge of spinning out of control if no action is taken. The Kenyan Cabinet may discuss the Zimbabwean situation at next week's cabinet meeting. ¶3. Odinga's December 7 press conference on Zimbabwe was the second time in a week the Prime Minister has spoken out publicly against Mugabe. (He first spoke out during his July visit to the U.S., and has remained outspoken and firm on the issue.) After a private meeting in his Nairobi home last week with Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai that was widely covered by local and international media, Odinga said that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe should be removed from power as all efforts at power-sharing had failed. Odinga reportedly said Mugabe was unwilling to share power with opposition officials and therefore should be ousted from his position. Media contacts who attended the meeting confirmed the reporting to us. "Power-sharing is dead in Zimbabwe and will not work with a dictator who does not really believe in power-sharing," Odinga declared. ¶4. During a meeting December 8 with the Ambassador and visiting African Development Foundation head Lloyd Pierson, Odinga said he will continue to speak out on the issue and urge others to do so. He welcomed the recent comments made by A/S Frazer and the Secretary. Odinga believes that the Presidents of Rwanda, Zambia, and Senegal can be convinced to speak out. The Ambassador welcomed Odinga's comments and urged him to continue efforts to get others to speak out as well. RANNEBERGER