It’s widely known by this point that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe basically fiddles while anything in his country burns — be it democracy, freedom, money, human rights, etc. — but now, with an unchecked cholera epidemic that has killed at least 600 people since August, some leaders have had enough with watching Mugabe stand idly by as Zimbabweans suffer. One of these is Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who called for the ouster of Mugabe by force while calling for an emergency summit Sunday of the African Union. More:

“‘We must not fail the dying people of Zimbabwe in this hour of their greatest need … we must assist them to end this vile dictatorship, we must beg them not to despair,’ he told a news conference in Nairobi.


Mr Odinga accused other African leaders of shaming the continent by failing to criticise Mr Mugabe.”

And from Al-Jazeera:

“Earlier, in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, Odinga said that Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania’s president and chairman of the African Union, should call an urgent summit of AU states to formulate a resolution sending troops to Zimbabwe.


‘If no troops are available, then the AU must allow the UN to send its forces into Zimbabwe … to take control of the country and ensure urgent humanitarian assistance to the people dying of cholera and starvation,’ Odinga said.


‘…Mugabe may not want to go, but the time has come for him to be shown the door. That’s why I am appealing to the AU to live up to the expectations of the majority of the African people by asking Mr Mugabe to leave.’”

Meanwhile, in today’s Observer, Archbishop of York John Sentamu unleashed on Mugabe:

“President Robert Mugabe was right when he said only God could remove him. That’s exactly what happens. No tyrant lives for ever. No cruel regime lasts. God acts. And he is acting. An international chorus is at last being raised to bring an end to Mugabe’s brutal regime.


As cholera devastates a Zimbabwe already on its knees, our Prime Minister, our Foreign Secretary and the US Secretary of State have all called for an end to the regime of Mugabe. Now these voices must unite for a further call to bring an end to the charade of power-sharing that has enabled Mugabe to remain in office, assisted by his ruthless politburo.


Mugabe and his corrupt regime must go. …”

And because nothing is ever Bobby Mugabe’s fault, Harare blames the cholera epidemic on EU sanctions.

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)