Misanet / The Namibian, 17 November - A local rights group that wanted Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrested during a clandestine visit to Namibia this weekend has condemned the Zimbabwean leader for coming here. Independent media were not allowed to approach Mr Mugabe during his stay.

Namibia's National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), which along with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) held protests in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, on Saturday morning, questioned government's lack of openness in hosting a man they said deserved to be arrested for "gross human rights violations."

President Mugabe's fleeting trip to Namibia - he arrived late Friday afternoon and left early on Saturday - generated conflicting messages from Namibia's Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' protocol division.

State House told Windhoek media about Mr Mugabe's impending arrival on Friday, while the Director of Protocol, Phillip Mavulu, insisted that Mr Mugabe was coming on "a private visit" to which no press would be admitted.

Both President Mugabe and his Namibian counterpart, President Sam Nujoma, who went to fetch the Zimbabwean from the Hosea Kutako International Airport, said nothing about the visit.

At one point, as the two presidents strode across the foyer of State House, President Nujoma stopped briefly and asked journalists: "Do you want to send greetings?" to President Mugabe. Mr Mugabe continued on his way and did not allow any opportunity for questions to be posed to him.

On Saturday morning, Mr Mavulu told 'The Namibian' that the press was not welcome, but it later emerged that the news team of Namibia's stateowned broadcaster, NBC, as well as their Zimbabwean counterparts, were the only ones allowed to interview the visiting Head of State.

Speaking at the Windhoek protest meeting, the Director of the NSHR, Phil ya Nangoloh, said the fact that Mr Mugabe's visit had been kept under wraps was testimony that he was regarded as "a disgrace". "President Robert Mugabe must be arrested for crimes against humanity and massive violations of human rights," declared Mr Ya Nangoloh.

The NSHR said it had learnt of Mr Mugabe's arrival too late to compile affidavits and approach the High Court to order the arrest of the Zimbabwean President.

MISA, the regional media watchdogs, said at the protest gathering - attended by about 50 people - that Mr Mugabe's regime must abolish laws enacted last year to repress the right to information.

The authorities in Zimbabwe have closed the country's leading daily newspaper, publishing under the mastheads 'Daily News' and 'Daily News on Sunday', on the pretext that it lacked permission from the Media and Information Commission to publish.

MISA said more than 100 workers in privately owned media had been arbitrarily arrested and detained under "draconian" laws known as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Public Order Security Act.

President Mugabe's regime has become more repressive with each passing year since his attempt to have a new Constitution was defeated by civil society groups a few years ago. This was followed by systematic attacks on opponents and the chaotic land grabs that have turned Zimbabwe from a bread basket to a basket case.

The national broadcaster, NBC news, on the other hand reported that Presidents Mugabe and Nujoma discussed tightening the Southern African Development Community defence pact. The visit came just as a shadowy group announced that it planned to overthrow Mr Mugabe by armed force.

President Nujoma was quoted by both Namibian and Zimbabwean state media as saying countries must be left to run their affairs as they saw fit without outside interference. The Zimbabwean President left Namibia on Saturday morning after he and Mr Nujoma are believed to have visited Henties Bay, a luxury coastal holiday resort near Swakopmund.

By Tangeni Amupadhi

© Misanet / The Namibian

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