Panic as Malawi's president declares that she wants to adopt Zimbabwe style land reforms
Published: 2013 May 05 23:41:43 (5334 Views)
Malawi's President Joyce Banda has apparently declared that her country will adopt the Zimbabwe land reform policy as a way of empowering locals.
President Banda said recently while in Zimbabwe where she went for an official visit that Malawi was impressed with the land reform policy as well as the economic empowerment initiatives that it will soon send experts to under study the policies for replicating in her country.
She was also quoted in Zimbabwe's The Saturday Herald dated April 27 that she promised President Robert Mugabe that she will assist in lobbying for the removal of 'illegal' sanctions against Zimbabwe.
However, on Tuesady the major donors, concerned with the implication of the statement especially on potential donors, called for an emergency meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister and asked him to come up with a public statement to clarify the matter.
The emergency meeting led to Minister Chiume issuing a statement on Friday when he said that President Banda did not utter such statements.
European Union (EU) Resident Representative Alexander Baum could neither confirm nor deny the Tuesday meeting but told Malawi's influential Weekend Nation that it was obvious that the President's comments begged some questions.
German Ambassador to Malawi Peter Woetse, who is also the current chairperson of Common Approach to Budget Support (Cabs), also said although his government did not attend the Tuesday meeting he also felt that President Banda's statement needed clarification.
"I personally do not see a comparable situation in Malawi with the situation in Zimbabwe. I would prefer to learn what was really said from the people attending (the meeting)," Woetse was quoted by the paper.
The Zimbabwe Herald Online, a pro-Robert Mugabe newspaper reported that President Banda announced during her visit in that country that Malawi will replicate Zimbabwe's land reform and economic empowerment and will send experts to Zimbabwe to study the two programmes.
Among several others President Banda's remarks drew criticism from Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) saying that replicating the land reforms will be economic suicide.
One of the vocal campaigners for a free Zimbabwe, Rose Benton who has been coordinating a Zimbabwe Vigil outside the country's Embassy in London since 2002, said her group was also shocked with President Banda's remarks especially on the sanctions.
"If President Banda did call for the lifting of 'illegal' sanctions she was just parroting Mugabe's electioneering line that seeks to blame the West for Zimbabwe's catastrophic economic decline. The sanctions are not illegal and were targeted at people involved in human rights abuses and their companies," she said.
- Nyasatimes
President Banda said recently while in Zimbabwe where she went for an official visit that Malawi was impressed with the land reform policy as well as the economic empowerment initiatives that it will soon send experts to under study the policies for replicating in her country.
She was also quoted in Zimbabwe's The Saturday Herald dated April 27 that she promised President Robert Mugabe that she will assist in lobbying for the removal of 'illegal' sanctions against Zimbabwe.
However, on Tuesady the major donors, concerned with the implication of the statement especially on potential donors, called for an emergency meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister and asked him to come up with a public statement to clarify the matter.
The emergency meeting led to Minister Chiume issuing a statement on Friday when he said that President Banda did not utter such statements.
European Union (EU) Resident Representative Alexander Baum could neither confirm nor deny the Tuesday meeting but told Malawi's influential Weekend Nation that it was obvious that the President's comments begged some questions.
German Ambassador to Malawi Peter Woetse, who is also the current chairperson of Common Approach to Budget Support (Cabs), also said although his government did not attend the Tuesday meeting he also felt that President Banda's statement needed clarification.
"I personally do not see a comparable situation in Malawi with the situation in Zimbabwe. I would prefer to learn what was really said from the people attending (the meeting)," Woetse was quoted by the paper.
The Zimbabwe Herald Online, a pro-Robert Mugabe newspaper reported that President Banda announced during her visit in that country that Malawi will replicate Zimbabwe's land reform and economic empowerment and will send experts to Zimbabwe to study the two programmes.
Among several others President Banda's remarks drew criticism from Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) saying that replicating the land reforms will be economic suicide.
One of the vocal campaigners for a free Zimbabwe, Rose Benton who has been coordinating a Zimbabwe Vigil outside the country's Embassy in London since 2002, said her group was also shocked with President Banda's remarks especially on the sanctions.
"If President Banda did call for the lifting of 'illegal' sanctions she was just parroting Mugabe's electioneering line that seeks to blame the West for Zimbabwe's catastrophic economic decline. The sanctions are not illegal and were targeted at people involved in human rights abuses and their companies," she said.
- Nyasatimes
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