PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe met Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Friday despite his spokesperson earlier claiming the Zimbabwean leader would have “nothing to do” with him.
Odinga was visiting Zimbabwe to address the MDC-T third national congress underway in Bulawayo at the invitation of party leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba had claimed the Zimbabwean leader would not see the Kenyan premier because they did not share the same principles.
Odinga who is also part of a coalition government in Kenya following violent and disputed elections angered Mugabe when he called for his ouster following Zimbabwe’s inconclusive 2008 presidential elections.
"This is merely a visit by Odinga to the MDC, a party that has similar principles with Odinga's Orange party," Charamba said. "It has nothing to do with the president."
However, Mugabe met the Kenyan Prime Minister at the State House in Harare for an hour before Odinga travelled to Bulawayo for the MDC-T congress.
They are said to have discussed the similarities in the history of Kenya and Zimbabwe, and reflected on global issues, especially international trade and events in North Africa and the Middle East.
Mugabe expressed interest in political developments in Kenya, particularly its constitutional reforms and said Zimbabwe looked up to east African country for lessons in reforming its own constitution.
Zimbabwe is drafting a new constitution as part of a raft of reforms which are expected to lead to fresh elections for a substantive government.
Meanwhile, addressing delegates to the MDC-T congress, Odinga said Africa could not continue to blame its colonialism for its problems.
“But 40 or 50 years since many African nations attained independence, we cannot continue blaming the colonialists for our problems. This blame game is taking us nowhere,” he said
Odinga said most of Africa’s problems were the result of poor governance adding that “many African leaders have performed dismally!”
“Lack of accountability and transparency has fostered official corruption and the plundering of resources meant for development,” he said.
“It is these insidious developments – and not the colonial legacy – that have brought this continent to the brink of ruination, and its people to the desperate situation in which so many millions find themselves today.”