By John Stephen Katende

3^rd January 2011

Defeated Gbagbo

All Ambassadors who were appointed by and were serving at the pleasure of the defeated Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo in European countries have been ‘de-recognised’ and deemed illegitimate.

Laurent Gbagbo, who is widely believed to have lost the presidential contest to Mr. Alassane Ouattara, has since refused to hand over power.  His decision to cling to power has attracted wide condemnation from African and world political leaders.

FDC Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye was among those leaders who called upon Laurent Gbagbo to stand down.  Besigye said if Gbagbo refuses, then he should be forced out.  Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga went even further and called for military action to kick Mr. Gbagbo out of power.

President Yoweri Museveni has however refrained from making a direct pronouncement on Gbagbo’s fate, perhaps fearing that as an incumbent President facing an election in which the opposition has gained significant inroads into his former strongholds, he might soon find himself in Laurent Gbagbo’s situation come February.

That fear was clearly discernable from his reaction to Dr. Besigye’s determination to announce his own results in the 2011 elections even after Museveni threatened to arrest him if he does.  Museveni said Uganda is not Ivory Coast, Kenya, or Zimbabwe and the Ivory Coast political impasse cannot happen in Uganda because Uganda is led by people who have fought wars.

The United Nations has however openly endorsed Mr. Alassane Ouattara as the legitimate President of Ivory Coast and it has provided UN security personnel to guard the hotel where Mr. Alassane Ouattara’s government is operating from.

In a statement, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the European Union [EU] Council had earlier this month “…decided to accept the Ambassadorial appointments of President Alassane Ouattara in EU capitals”.

The statement added that “…as a result, it was agreed that Ambassadors who had been appointed by Mr Gbagbo would no longer have diplomatic status, privileges or immunities”.

The British government has already communicated its de-recognition of the former Ivory Coast Ambassador to the United Kingdom. “…The Foreign Office has informed Mr Philippe D Djangone-Bi that, as of 31 December 2010, he is no longer the Ambassador for Cote d’Ivoire to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.

The British government added that “…we will be moving to recognise the appointee of President Alassane Ouattara in the usual manner”.  Please log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.