Libyan strongman, Col Muamor El-Gadhafi causes panic at the AU summit in Addis Ababa as he parades traditional African rulers before heads of states and governments.

AFRICAN HEADS OF STATES AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS ATTENDING THE AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT IN ADDIS ABABA WERE EMBARASSED BY LIBYAN STRONGMAN, MUAMOR EL-GADHAFI WHEN HE PARADED TRADITIONAL AFRICAN RULERS BEFORE THEM.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

REPORTS emerging from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, say heads of states and governments in attendance at the summit of the African Union {AU} were seriously embarrassed by  the Libyan strongman Col Muamor El-Gadhafi, when he paraded before them the tribal kings, traditional rulers, and cultural leaders.

It was an act which was out of protocol and against security arrangement at the Africa Hall, Addis Ababa, and the venue of the summit.

After reading his summit opening speech, Gadhafi suddenly invited representatives of African kings, and traditional leaders to speak. They were not on agenda of the summit, and they surprised both security details guarding the heads of states, as they walked in behind Gadhafi, with their flowing robes, traditional dresses of animal skins, staffs, and embroidery.

No sitting provisions had been made for them by the organizers of the summit, which prompted them to simply hijack the seats exclusively reserved for marked “First Ladies”.

The leader of the delegation Tchiffi Zif Garvais from the Ivory Coast, told the seemingly surprised and embarrassed heads of states and governments that the forum of  “kings, sultans and traditional leaders that was established by our leader, and King of Kings,  Gadhafi”, was to unite and serve the African people.

“It is a privilege for you to have us here. I would like to thank the President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni, who met us and is now our honorary member. He has also agreed to write a dictionary in his vernacular local language and it will help African traditional rulers”.

He said their role was not to engage in politics. “Ours is not a political tool. Our role is to give support and stability. A tool, for social cohesion that has already modeled in some culture on the continent like Guinea”.

“Africa must develop on the basis of its own culture. Some heads of states had not understood what our role was, but our King of Kings took the decision and arranged for us to meet some leaders”, he said.

Gadhafi  told his colleagues, the heads of states and governments that there was no conflict between the role of traditional leaders and politicians, adding even Museveni has understood them after meeting with them.

While handing over the AU summit chairmanship to Malawi’s President Bingu  Wa  Mutharika, an acrimonious Gadhafi later said, “after all, it was an empty chair with mere symbolic powers, since many declarations and decisions were made without my consent”.

Earlier reports indicated that Gadhafi had struggled hard to retain the rotating chair, which dragged a preliminary Saturday meeting on into the late hours of the night.

Gadhafi also used his farewell speech to accuse the African union of wasting, time while failing to meet global challenges.

He once again urged the African leaders to begin the process of political unification.

Col Gadhafi, dressed in a white robe and black fur hat at the AU summit, and enjoying overzealous support by the likes of Senegal President Abduolaye Wade, has been pushing hard for an African unity government for years, saying it is the only way Africa can develop without Western interference. 

Gadhafi, however, visibly lost one of his most formidable and reliable backers, following the death of President Omar Bongo of Gabon, the man he personally converted into Islam through petro dollar persuasion.

Before the two met nearly thirty years ago, Bongo was a staunch Christian, carrying the names of Albert Benard Bongo, and was the first Vice President of the oil rich Gabon, when the first independent leader of that country, President Leon Mba died in office, and was succeeded by Bongo, who was his number two.

Gabon was by then grappling with economic difficulties, and Gadhafi bankrolled Bongo.

 

Bongo died last year, and his son has since taken over. For years he was the voice of reasons behind Gadhafi in most African heads forums.

 

But last Saturday, the AU summit members, headed by South Africa and Ethiopia, argued the plan for a continental government is not feasible, and is impractical, as it would infringe on sovereignty of some countries.

 

Ends

2 thoughts on “Libyan strongman, Col Muamor El-Gadhafi causes panic at the AU summit in Addis Ababa as he parades traditional African rulers before heads of states and governments.

  1. Prof. Chunga Nyamburaka

    I have read many African and Euro-American newspapers today and virually all of them had something bad to say about Col. Gadhaffi. It is very interesting how Euro-American views permeate African journalism.

    I will only mention an interesting occasion when Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa:

    He was on his way to a Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in Scotland when he passed through Libya to meet with HIS FRIEND Col Gadhaffi. There was an uproar about that with Western leaders and their syscophants in Africa criticizing Mandela for that.

    ON HIS WAY FROM SCOTLAND, THE OLD MAN WENT TO LIBYA TO FURTHER THANK COL. GADHAFFI FOR BEING SUCH TRUE FRIEND OF SOUTH AFRICA IN ITS HOUR OF NEED when America and its European satellite states were calling him a terrorist.

    Did I hear someone say, Nelson Mandela is not the greatest son of Africa?
    Regards.

    Professor Chunga Nyamburaka

  2. Kevin

    Lets give credit where its due…..religion aside Gaddaffi has done all within his might to improve the African status…we dont expect the west to support an initiative to unite and bring peace in Africa. To them Africa is best left divided and at war. Thats when they can find a market for their weapons and the likes

    By the way, am yet to hear of an African state involved in the production of weapons of mass destruction.

    Col Gaddafi has done us proud…just a recap when the US secretary of state visited Nairobi. Everything went down, from the network to the rads, most of which were closed. Nairobi CBD was a no-go zone for anybody. Fine, we understand her security worries, but why didn’t they understand Col. Gaddafi when he wanted to pitch a tent in US??

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