U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Thursday for African nations to “step up” and help deal with the growing crisis in Zimbabwe, in the grip of continued food shortages and political deadlock. “It's time for Africa to step up,” Rice told a news conference. “Where is the concern from the African Union and from Zimbabwe's neighbors,” she asked. The country, already suffering from runaway inflation and food shortages, is now dealing the political stalemate resulting from a presidential election that may have handed victory to opposition politician Morgan Tsvangirai. But Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has refused to accept the results or leave office. “I think he's done more harm to his country than would have been imaginable, if you look at what Zimbabwe was just 15 years ago or so,” Rice said of Mugabe. Rice said the United States and the European Union had spoken out about Zimbabwe's troubles, particularly following the disputed March 29 presidential election, the results of which have not been released. “The region also needs to … speak up here,” she said. “I know the role that he (Mugabe) played in the liberation of Zimbabwe, but the last years have been really an abomination. It's a country that used to feed its neighbors and now it can't feed itself,” Rice added.
