Democracy: Uganda is better than Zimbabwe

Nov 22, 2007

THE Commonwealth secretary general, Don McKinnon, has said the state of democracy in Uganda is better than that in Zimbabwe. <br>“There is a difference between the situations in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Some circumstances led to the suspension of Zimbabwe in 2003 to date.

By Alfred Wasike and Milton Olupot

THE Commonwealth secretary general, Don McKinnon, has said the state of democracy in Uganda is better than that in Zimbabwe.
“There is a difference between the situations in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Some circumstances led to the suspension of Zimbabwe in 2003 to date.

Mugabe does not want to talk to the Commonwealth. We support efforts to restore the situation in Zimbabwe but Morgan Tsvangirai is not here at the invitation of the Commonwealth,” McKinnon told journalists at the media centre yesterday.

Tsvangirai is the Zimbabwean opposition leader.

McKinnon said he received complaints from the opposition in Uganda accusing the Government of human rights, abuses.

“I raised the allegations with Government and received satisfactory explanations. That is why the CHOGM is being held in Uganda.”

On the opposition’s claims of boycotting the meeting, McKinnon said he had spoken to several opposition members but none had told him that they would boycott the summit.

He also announced that the fate of Rwanda’s application to join the Commonwealth would be decided during the summit.

On Pakistan, he said: “Pakistan is a difficult issue. Those are the major issues the foreign affairs ministers are discussing. The leaders too will discuss them.”

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