The appointment of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe prompted a global outcry and wide-ranging condemnation.
Source: WHO cancels Robert Mugabe goodwill ambassador role – BBC News October 22, 2017
Mr Mugabe often travels abroad for medical treatment
The World Health Organization has revoked the appointment of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador following a widespread outcry.
“I have listened carefully to all who have expressed their concerns,” WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
He had previously praised Zimbabwe for its commitment to public health.
But critics pointed out that Zimbabwe’s healthcare system had collapsed under Mr Mugabe’s 30-year rule.
Staff often go without pay, medicines are in short supply, and Mr Mugabe, who has outlived the average life expectancy in his country by three decades, travels abroad for medical treatment
Mr Tedros said he had consulted with the Zimbabwean government and decided that rescinding Mr Mugabe’s position was “in the best interests of” the WHO.
He said he remained “firmly committed to working with all countries and their leaders” to build universal health care.
Mr Tedros, elected in May under the slogan “let’s prove the impossible is possible” had said he hoped Mr Mugabe would use his goodwill ambassador role to “influence his peers in the region”.
But the appointment was met by a wave of surprise and condemnation. The UK government, the Canadian prime minister, the Wellcome Trust, the NCD Alliance, UN Watch, the World Heart Federation, Action Against Smoking and Zimbabwean lawyers and social media users were among those who criticised the decision.
COMMENTS
Sanity has prevailed!!!
Here is a man that has murdered over 20 000 of my relatives and fellow Zimbabweans in what he had excused by calling it his “moment of madness”.
He has had many, many, many, such moments of madness.
I dare need not even comment on him spending more on his own personal medical attention, than what is spent on the medical care of the whole of the people of Zimbabwe.
Let’s hope that he now has at least a moment of deep sadness…and choking embarrassment.
What a pig of a human being.
Agreed Ndonga. This old man was shutting down missionary hospitals even before he became the leader of Zimbabwe. He is a disgrace to mankind irrespective of race or tribe. He uses any leverage to obtain and maintain his selfish grip on power, he has no conscience or compassion. The WHO is obviously very corrupt but God isn’t, physics is against the old man very soon now he will have to answer for his crimes.
Agreed Ndonga. This old man was shutting down missionary hospitals even before he became the leader of Zimbabwe. He is a disgrace to humankind irrespective of race or tribe. He uses any leverage to obtain and maintain his selfish grip on power, he has no conscience or compassion. The WHO is obviously very corrupt but God isn’t, physics is against the old man very soon now he will have to answer for his crimes.
It was the fear that the WHO got no money that must have swayed it.
Now the committee must go, “leave your keys in the middle of the table and get out”
What ever made anybody agree to that appointment
“Yes I will be with you now, just getting my bother on the phone he will do it instead”
The whole thing makes you sick.
The ultimate humiliation for the man who thinks he is loved by all his African and Arab and Asian people’s.
He thought that being Ambassador to WHO will unlock the doors to the countries that have put travel sanctions on him.
I will be really keen to see what his (or Charambas) comment will be.
As ambassador, will he go round telling people to use the fine facilities of Singapore hospitals?
Robert!!
YES!!
What’s the matter? you have hardly touched your breakfast ‘Liberation Crunches’..
Those Western sods have removed my W.H.O. scam
…I bet the Briteesh that have done this, first my visa, my Queeny honor, then my bus pass, now this!
Yes Dear, its not fair is it
You go to Singapore to save taking up space in the local clinic and they do not understand that.
Never mind there will be other opportunities, I am going to nominate you when you leave us, as chairman of the UN in a box.
really; I will look forward to to that
Yes cross my heart and hope you die first
oh I feel better already
More toast……….
Who in their right mind would make such a stupid decision. Birds of a feather. The WHO chief should resign because if incompetent and stupidity.
The health care of Zimbabwe is the worst in the world. How can Mugabe represent the World Health Organization, when he flies to Singapore for health. How can he help the world, when he can’t help his own.
I agree with the previous corespondent. For although I no way excuse Mr Mugabe, as I read and see it he has and is not good leader. However the real culprit in all this particular event is the chairman and others who no doubt supported him into even considering this appointment. Do not forget that the WHO is a mega-money outfit. It is astounding that nobody had the guts to say to him “you must be joking, this is political dynamite, are you stupid”. I have made the comment previously in the hallowed pages that these individuals are distanced from real life, they live in cloud cuckoo land and are mostly pathological liars to themselves and usually to others. So even if advice is proffered – they shun it – have ‘yes’ men around them. In this instance if you read the WWW, you easily find that while he argued that Zim had a admirable record of healthcare and so forth – he was make believing himself, if you decode the same digits, you see the opposite is the case. Lets now get rid of this chap as he not worthy of his salary and status, get somebody who can do the job not expect free meals for incompetence. Maybe there should be tightening up all round in the land of the Back scratches (nearly wrote something else there, b*m….)