SOUTH AFRICA: Archbishop Desmond Tutu urges African leaders to persuade embattled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to step down

Record ID: 452253

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Archbishop Desmond Tutu urges African leaders to persuade embattled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to step down
  • Date: 24th April 2008
  • Summary: (BN10) STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA, (APRIL 02, 2008), (REUTERS) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SIGNS AUTOGRAPHS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "I support every effort at stopping any arms going into Zimbabwe and commend the trade union that started it all and commend the church organisations that got this interdict from the high court, but I want to call on African leaders to show that they really care by speaking quietly to Mr. Mugabe and say step down. You still have some of your legacy. Please step down. You've been there for 20 years man..." ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU TALKING TO WOMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "Some people would probably say that there is an apprehension that people might say he need to face charges in the international criminal court." ARCHBISHOP TUTU WALKS OFF
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0TQRDUQZ8ZJ2P74RUOPMN6PN
  • Story Text: Making his second emphatic call for Mugabe to step aside since Zimbabwe's disputed March 29 elections, South Africa's Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu said southern African countries could no longer afford leaders who wanted to cling to power for egotistical reasons.
    They had other issues to contend with, such as poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
    Addressing a conference on education and leadership in Western Cape province Tutu said he hoped South Africa would take charge of convincing the 84-year-old president to salvage his legacy by stepping down with dignity.
    Mugabe has so far rejected calls to resign after his apparent second-place finish in last month's presidential elections to opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
    Tsvangirai claims he won the election outright. Mugabe's Zanu-PF party says a runoff is needed to establish a clear winner - a tacit admission Mugabe took fewer votes.
    The state-controlled election commission has withheld the results of the election from the public for close to four weeks citing first the need for "verification," then a partial recount.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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