By Sifelani Tsiko

Harare,Zimbabwe (31-12-06) GOVERNMENTS and political commentators in southern Africa have roundly condemned the execution of former Iraq president Saddam Hussein describing this as an act of desperation by the United States which is not a solution to the crisis and orgy of violence in Iraq.

"South Africa remains convinced that his execution is not the panacea to the current political problems in Iraq but could fuel violence in an already volatile situation," Ronnie Mamoepa, the spokesman of the South Africa foreign affairs ministry was quoted saying.

He said South Africa had joined the international community in expressing its "principled opposition" to capital punishment from the date the death sentence had been imposed.

"We reiterate the call made by President Thabo Mbeki that, despite what happened in the past, the United Nations must get involved to help bring peace and stability in Iraq," he said.

Political commentators in Zimbabwe said the execution showed how 'Big Brother' America wanted to bully weaker nations into submission for opposing its imperialistic agenda.

Dr Godfrey Chikowore, a political analysts at the University of Zimbabwe lambasted the US and its allies  for persecuting Third World leaders who are opposed to its imperialistic ambitions.

"Its cruelty against  heads of states of  the developing world. An alternative to execution should have been found," he said.

Zimbabwe's well known US critic and media analyst Dr Tafataona Mahoso said both the British and the Americans had nothing to gain from the killing of Saddam.

Dr Mahoso described this barbaric act as a desperate attempt to intimidate Third World leaders who want to stand up against imperialism.

"This execution is an act of desperation because the government put in Iraq by the occupying forces has failed to manage.This execution will incense most Third World leaders," he was quoted saying.

He said Saddam's execution was a tragedy to Americans who wanted to project a clean image of their country.
"The execution is not going to stop anything. The execution images are going to attract the sympathy of the world against the United States and Britain," he said.

The former Iraq leader's execution has been roundly condemned worldwide with world leaders and political commentators saying it would fuel tension between Americans and Arabs and push Iraq deeper into a new wave of chaos and bloodbath.

Saddam was executed for the role that America said he played in the death of about 148 Shiites in the town of Dujail in 1982.

 The Shiites had attempted to topple him through an uprising.
Zimbabwe's Minister of State for Public and Interactive Affairs  Chen Chimutengwende said bluntly that the former Iraq leader was not killed by Iraqis but by the Americans.

"His execution will not solve anything. The execution will strengthen the fight against American imperialism and the Americans will be defeated," he said.

A member of the Majlisul Ulama in Zimbabwe said it was worrying that Saddam's execution was coming at a time when Muslim world was marking Eid Mubarak or Eid al-Adha -the Feast of the Sacrifice, a major religious holiday for Muslims.

"His execution real confirms that the Muslim world is facing a real threat of persecution from America. They want to persecute our people. Allah will stand by us until victory is achieved over the Third World bully -George Bush and his America,"said a member of the Islamic grouping in Zimbabwe who was outraged by the execution of Saddam at a time when Muslims around the world commemorated Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God.