Queen strips Mugabe of knighthood

[dcentity2000]

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's honorary Knighthood has been annulled by the Queen, the BBC has learned.

Mr Mugabe, condemned over violence ahead of a presidential run-off election, was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1994.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband recommended to the Queen that he be stripped of the honour - and the Queen has approved that request.

Clicky!

Well, that's a step in the right direction...



Rich:

 

[Deb in IA]

How in the world did this lunatic get knighted in the first place???

 

[dcentity2000]

How in the world did this lunatic get knighted in the first place???

You know, I have no idea? He's clearly a violent, dictatorial nutter.



Rich::

 

[CapeCodTenor]

First off, good for her for doing so.

How in the world did this lunatic get knighted in the first place???

My guess is, she knighted him when he was doing good things for the country.

 

[pogo791]

From Associated Press:

"Mugabe was made an honorary knight in 1994, when he was considered an anti-colonial hero. Honorary knighthoods are conferred on people who are not British citizens but are recommended by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and approved by the queen.


And from another Associated Press item - Nelson Mandela finally breaks his silence regarding Mugabe:

"In London, Mandela made a carefully worded but pointed attack on Mugabe, saying there has been a 'tragic failure of leadership in our neighboring Zimbabwe.'

The speech, at a fundraiser that included Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former President Bill Clinton, was the first time the former South African president has spoken publicly about the political crisis in Zimbabwe. His words are devastating for Mugabe and will weaken his claim to be a champion of African interests."


I hate to fault a man who has done so many noble things in his long life, but why, oh why couldn't Mandela have come out of his corner weeks, if not months ago? Since the run-off elections in Zimbabwe are tomorrow, and his rival has already withdrawn in the face of all of the vote-rigging and violence, all Mugabe has to do is sit pat for another 24 hours, and declare victory.