By Chengetai Zvauya
HARARE – Expelled Libyan ambassador Taher Elmagrahi and four other diplomats together with their families left the country yesterday morning by road after failing to secure visas to go through Johannesburg, South Africa.
The envoy and others left via Bulawayo and Plumtree border post into Botswana where they are expected to connect a flight to Egypt and continue their journey by road to the war torn North Africa country.
A Libyan official yesterday confirmed to the Daily News the departure of the diplomats who were kicked out of the country by President Robert Mugabe’s regime for defecting to the National Transitional Council (NTC) and dumping their long-time tyrant Muammar Gaddafi.
“They have left Zimbabwe by road and they were given a free passage though Botswana where they had their visas sorted out. They will fly to Cairo, Egypt, before heading home.
“The issue of visas had delayed their departure but that was sorted out smoothly and they have gone for good. What will happen to the embassy is now left in the hands of the ministry of foreign affairs and I hope a new team of diplomats will be coming soon,” the source added.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Joey Bimha confirmed that the Libyan envoys had left the country yesterday morning by road.
“The Libyan ambassador sent a letter to us on Thursday informing that he will be leaving the country by road with his team and we are sure that he was true to his letter that he has left.
“We still maintain diplomatic relations with Libya but not with the envoys we have turned away. We have nothing to do with them anymore as they are no longer diplomats. It is not true that we had taken away their diplomatic passports,’’ said Bimha.
Two weeks ago, Libyan ambassador Elmagrahi led the Libyan community in bringing down the Libyan flag before raising the NTC flag and burned Gaddafi portraits celebrating his downfall in Libya.
The celebrations angered the Zanu PF aligned government officials who are friends with the deposed dictator.
On Tuesday Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengengwi summoned the Libyan diplomats to his offices and ordered them to the leave the country within 72 hours for supporting NTC which the government said does not have diplomatic relationship with it. He said they still recognise Gaddafi as the legitimate leader of Libya.
This is despite the fact that the Libyan despot has been holed up underground for almost three weeks now. Daily News