BRUSSELS - Joint African Pacific Caribbean and European Union (ACP-EU) Parliament co-president David Matongo says the world should stop election losers from refusing to leave office and seeking comfort in coalition governments.

Matongo, a Zambian, gave President Robert Mugabe as an example of one such leader.

Addressing delegates at the 26th ACP-EU social and economic meeting here, Matongo described Zimbabwe’s shaky coalition government as “unacceptable and undemocratic”.

He said it was worrying that election losers were rejecting results and using violence to force the formation of “useless and unworkable” coalition governments.

He spoke as Mugabe and coalition partner Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai both concurred that their dysfunctional relationship was affecting the economy.

“As the ACP-EU joint parliament president let me clearly state that we do not support unity governments after someone loses elections.

If you lose elections get out. We want democracy and respect of the will of the people in Africa,” said Matongo.

Matongo accused coalition governments of forcing people to legitimise despots whose term of office would have been ended by the electorate.

He said the whole phenomenon was derailing the democratisation of the African continent.

“At this juncture in time allow me dear colleagues to point out that governments of national unity crafted hurriedly after disputed elections are unacceptable and undemocratic for they tend to entrench despots whose era and tenure of office ought to have come to an end.

This creates a deficit in the democracy we all yearn for in Africa,” he added.

Matongo, who is MP for Pemba constituency in Zambia, expressed dismay at Mugabe whom he accused of rejecting the people’s will.

He said Mugabe was promoting chaos in Africa because other leaders ended up imitating him, giving the Ivory Coast crisis as a recent point in case.

“Such presidents like Mugabe who refuse to hand over power and form coalition governments are a bad influence to other African leaders.

The recent case of Ivory Coast remind us of how bad those people who want to cling on to power at all cost regardless of the impact on their people’s lives and especially after they lost lections are.

The leader also wanted a coalition government just like in Zimbabwe and Kenya,” he said.

Matongo urged the ACP and EU countries to withdraw support to the countries with coalition governments as a way of pushing African leaders to move towards democracy and do away with dictators whose continued stay in power was contributing to Africa’s underdevelopment.

“These governments should not get support from ACP-EU and other organisations because we will be supporting the continued stay of dictators and tyrants who oppress people and slow down development in the continent. Africa needs new young leaders who will bring fresh ideas and energy and vitality in the continent,” Matongo said. 

By Staff reporter and agencies