Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called on the African leaders to ensure there is peace on the continent. Malema was giving the keynote address at the party’s 10-year celebrations, at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Malema also lambasted opposition leaders in Kenya for organising protests in that country. He says Kenyan President William Ruto was democratically elected. He says it is unacceptable that African people are killing each other.
Malema says in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone, 12 000 people have been killed.
“We want to make a call in Kenya, especially to comrade Raila Odinga, stop doing what you are doing. Do not disrupt Kenya, we need peace in Kenya. We say to President Mnangagwa stop disrupting the peace of Zimbabwe. We want peace in Ethiopia; we want peace in the DRC.”
Stance on Putin
Malema has reiterated his stance that the party stands with Russian President, Vladimir Putin. This comes as more than 50 countries – many of which come from the West continue with their efforts to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February last year, but have faced stiff resistance from Kyiv’s arny.
Malema says BRICS countries must not be bullied by the Western countries. He has again called on other BRICS member countries, India, Brazil and China to boycott the summit next month in South Africa in solidarity with President Putin who will not be attending in person because of the ICC arrest warrant.
“We are with President Putin. We are Putin and Putin is us and we will never support imperialism against President Putin. America is threatening us with African Growth and Opportunity Act that if we don’t arrest Putin they are going to take away AGOA. They can take away AGOA and leave us with our sovereignty and leave us with our foreign policy, we must have capacity to make decisions on our own.”
EFF stands with Russia’s Vladimir Putin:
Over the last decade, the party has garnered 1 million members and is currently the third biggest party in the country.
Ambassadors of different countries posted in South Africa have attended the EFF 10 year celebration. Malema told the diplomats that his party wanted to work with them and also to engage on the party’s foreign policy.
EFF leader Julius Malema’s address:
