Kenya Joins a Black African Boycott of the Commonwealth Games

Kenya, protesting Britain’s refusal to impose economic sanctions on South Africa’s government, Saturday became the fourth black African nation to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh, Scotland, July 24-Aug. 2.

The decision to boycott the games, announced by state-run Voice of Kenya radio in Nairobi, came a day after British Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe returned to London from a European Community fact-finding tour in southern Africa.

It also followed by 12 hours a similar boycott announcement by neighboring Uganda. Ghana and Nigeria, also protesting London’s refusal to impose sanctions, pulled out of the games Wednesday.

Meanwhile, South African-born runner Zola Budd, who has been a target of demonstrators, said in London that she would withdraw if asked to do so by sports officials.

“I want to compete in the games, but if I was asked to withdraw by the Women’s AAA and the Commonwealth Games Council for England, I would,” she said.

Asked if she would make a statement on apartheid, Budd said: “It is against my principles to make my political views public. I respect the views of others, but they can’t expect me to express mine.”

She added: “I think some of the African countries are using me as a pawn.”

Political analysts in Nairobi said that if moderate Kenya, not known for taking a lead in offending the West, decided to withdraw, it was almost certain that more black African states, such as Tanzania, will follow.