Join Us Or We Go It Alone says President Robert Mugabe

[XXPANTHAXX]

Join us or we go it alone’

Herald Reporters

PRESIDENT MUGABE has invited MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC counterpart Professor Arthur Mutambara to make themselves available for swearing in as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister respectively pursuant to the envisaged inclusive Government.

Addressing thousands of delegates to the 10th Zanu-PF National People’s Conference in Bindura yesterday, the President said he was yet to receive a response from "one of the opposition leaders".

The invitation — in writing — follows the gazetting of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill last week paving way for the creation of the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister respectively.

Cde Mugabe, however, hinted that a response might not come any time soon as the West was averse to any arrangement that retained him as Head of State and Government.

The MDC-T, he said, was likely continue pandering to the whims of the country’s detractors, while reiterating that Zimbabwe would soon have to go back to the polls.

"I have sent letters that these two (Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara) may come and be sworn in but mumwe haasati adzoka," President Mugabe said, in apparent reference to Mr Tsvangirai, who is holed up in Botswana.

"The long and short of it is that we will have to go back to elections and I hope that we won’t repeat the disaster of March 29."

President Mugabe, however, said the process had not yet reached a stage where he could say dialogue has collapsed even though Mr Tsvangirai remains in Botswana.

He, however, took a swipe at Mr Tsvangirai for prostituting himself to various countries and procrastinating on joining Government saying his handlers had misled him into believing Zimbabwe was on the verge of collapse and that if he holds out, he will form a government from the rubble.

‘‘All this dancing and running around which Tsvangirai is doing, actually we have to pity him (Tsvangirai). He is no longer in control of himself. This is what comes out of being a puppet to someone.

‘‘And you know what happens ka, in the world of puppetry, you see, you make it dance. So he goes to Germany, he goes to the Netherlands, he goes to Britain, he goes to America, he goes all over. And you (can’t help) wondering really what he is doing, you think he is organising for his party. But zvimwe zvacho zvinenge zvisisina rationality.’’

The President said Mr Tsvangirai was free to wait for the envisaged collapse while Zanu-PF moves on with the business of governing.

‘‘My view is that those who run the MDC have given the MDC the impression that Zimbabwe is collapsing and the Government will vanish on its own, then you just take over.

‘‘Zvino ndozvavarikufunga izvozvo. If they want to wait, fine, we will wait with them for that day. We will say we are waiting for your day asi isu tichitonga, and the day will never come.’’

The President said the inclusive Government was aimed at ensuring a period of stability during which the Government would move towards new elections.

It is envisaged the elections will be held using the Kariba Draft Constitution that was included as an annexture to the broad-based agreement, provided it is endorsed by the people in a referendum but if rejected, the elections will be held using the framework used for the March 29 harmonised elections.

The President took a swipe at US Assistant Secretary State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer for calling for an invasion of Zimbabwe, saying if any African country was daft enough to be persuaded to follow that course of action it would be repulsed by the tried and tested Zimbabwean defence forces.

‘‘What African countries would have the courage of ordering a military invasion of Zimbabwe?

‘‘In other words, what would they come and do militarily here? All they would do is come and pose a threat to our stability and they would be countered by our own force and there would be an unnecessary war started in a foolish manner because of foolish persuasion coming from foolish sources,’’ the President said to applause from delegates.

The President also blasted Western ambassadors, particularly US Ambassador James D. McGee, for misrepresenting the situation in Zimbabwe.

He also took the BBC, Sky News and CNN to task over their negative coverage of Zimbabwe saying these media were proving to be mere propaganda mouthpieces of the West.

The President reminded the West that regime change will always come unstuck as only Zimbabweans had the power to remove him from office.

‘‘We have told them (Americans) as we told the Europeans that the only persons with the power to remove Robert Gabriel Mugabe are the people of Zimbabwe.

‘‘Handina mutupo wechiAmerica ini. Mese munondiziva kuti ndiriGushungo, kuAmerica kune Gushungo? KuBritain kune Gushungo? Saka hukama navo wakabva pai? Ngavandisiye," the President said to cheers and chants of "Gushungo ingoda".

The President told delegates that Zanu-PF had been forced into negotiations with the opposition because of divisions within Zanu-PF ahead of the harmonised elections adding that it was incomprehensible that anyone would agree to sell out his own country for money.

"Kune vamwe vanoti matambudziko anyanya maBritish ngaauye zvavo. Why should we suffer because of one man and that one man is President Mugabe.

"Ngaabve zvake. Havafunge kuti chavanodira iwo maBritish kuti this one man must go chii? Hapana musangano unonzi wakasimba usina mutingamiriri wakasimba."

President Mugabe said he was not bothered by threats from the enemy saying he was prepared to die in defence of Zimbabwe.

"Ini hazvinei kuti ndingatyityidzirwe zvakaita sei kana kuti ndingazodimburwa musoro. I believe that inyika yedu haisi yemaBritish."

He said the West was pushing hard for an illegal regime change agenda by enticing other African countries to condemn Zimbabwe warning that it would be "foolish" to start an unnecessary war premised on the cholera outbreak.

"Yes, there has been this epidemic, but you do not then proceed to say that the cholera outbreak has been caused by the Government and

that the Government is thereby guilty of committing genocide against its own people.

"That’s what they are saying. It is all dishonesty, hypocrisy and a pack of lies! That is the difference between European leaders and Africans. We cannot lie like that in public. We are not capable of being so blatantly dishonest."

He said the US and its allies had lied about executed former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s military capabilities as an excuse to attack that country and Zimbabweans must be wary of similar attempts against this country.

President Mugabe said the only solution to the current challenges facing the country was the removal of sanctions.

"The solution required at the moment is that which addresses sanctions. Sanctions must go."

He scoffed at calls for the invasion of Zimbabwe under the guise of protecting its citizens saying "those with the right to protect should not impose sanctions that negate the right to protect".

President Mugabe likened sanctions to waging a war on innocent people and vowed the country would belong to the Zimbabweans with or without sanctions and that he would remain as Head of State until the people decided otherwise.

Government would continue to de-link the economy from the West through alternative policies that had seen Zimbabwe forging stronger ties with countries like China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Cuba among others, the President told the delegates.

He reassured the nation that the State was doing all it could to ensure people were well catered for ahead of the festive season and beyond and that more agricultural inputs distribution schemes would soon be unveiled.

[XXPANTHAXX]

Herald Reporter

TRADITIONAL leaders have welcomed efforts being made to form an all inclusive Government saying the problems affecting the country were directly a result of delays in naming a substantive Government.

In an interview at the ongoing Zanu PF 10th annual conference in Bindura yesterday, the President of the Chief’s Council, Chief Fortune Charumbira, said Zimbabwe was desperately in need of a Government that would direct and spearhead development.

"Most of the problems that we are having as a country are a result of the delay in forming a Government. We are happy that President Mugabe has started the process of forming an inclusive Government and that should be without delay.

"Although we would have wanted the three political parties to involve us in the talks especially on matters involving the role and responsibilities of traditional leaders, we encourage the political leadership to quickly form central Government.

"We are, however, unhappy with the clause asking for the impartiality of chiefs in agreement. In fact the agreement should have come clear on what they mean by impartiality because as the custodians of people we will only support parties that promote the welfare and aspirations of the people," he said.

Chief Charumbira said land was central to people’s existence hence traditional leaders would always support policies that advocate the equitable distribution of the country’s finite resource.

He said the new Government once in office should move with haste to improve the livelihoods of ordinary people who have been at the mercy of the economic problems facing the country.

It should seek, he said to improve on health, school and education, food availability and agriculture.

Turning to the conference Chief Charumbira said traditional leaders were at the conference in support of the President Mugabe policies that sought to redress the colonial land and economic imbalances.

He castigated members of the ruling party and Government who were using political offices to amass wealth at the expense of the people.

"Selfishness and personal aggrandisement were reflected in the way people voted and acted in the March harmonised elections. Instead of going into the battle for the party Zanu-PF went into the elections divided and thus paid dearly," he said

Chief Charumbira said the party must come out of this conference focussed, united and regroup itself for the coming elections.

[XXPANTHAXX]

Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mugabe has urged unity within Zanu-PF saying indiscipline cost the party outright victory in the March 29 harmonised elections.

Addressing over 7 000 delegates to the party’s 10th National People’s Conference in Bindura yesterday, President Mugabe bemoaned lack of discipline and commitment to the party by some people who want to use it to enrich themselves.

His call follows ugly fights between Cde Hubert Nyanhongo and Cde Amos Midzi’s supporters during elections to choose the Harare provincial chairman.

Cde Midzi fled the poll venue in controversial circumstances before the polls were conducted leaving Cde Nyanhongo to win the ballot. In another case of corruption, President Mugabe revealed that seven beasts meant for delegates had disappeared before the conference had even started.

These were later recovered though delegates had reportedely slept on empty stomachs. ‘‘Ipo pano tirikubva mukunzwa panze apa kuti imwe nyama yakanga yashaika. Vanhu vanonzi vamwe vakanorara nenzara nezuro. Mombe nomwe dzimwe dzinonzi dzakanga dzabiwa. Zvanzi dzazowanikwa nhasi. Nezvimwewo zvekudya zvehupfu zvinonzi zvakanga zvaenda. Ndiko kushaya maprinciples even morality ikoko.’’

The President said party cadres must accept defeat when they lose polls and live to fight another day.

"Makwikwi ngaarege kupesanisa vanhu, kurwisanisa vanhu. Ndirikutaura izvi maererano nechinangwa chakakosha chokubatana," he said.

"Tinosungirwa kusesekedza musangano. Musangano ndiwomukuru pamunhu wese. Musangano mukuru ndiwo unozvara President, maVice Presidents, ndiwo wakazvara nhengo dzePolitburo neCentral Committee. Tose tirivana vemusangano. Tose rinofanira kukotama pamberi pemusangano."

He questioned why some party members were not prepared to accept defeat and join hands with the victors for the sake of progress.

"Chinozoita zvino kuti iwe utore tsika inenge youroyi wavakuda kuturunura zvatarwa nemusangano chii? Kana urinhengo yemusangano unosungirwa kuva nechido chohutongo hwemusangano."

President Mugabe said no party member owned voters and had no right to stop them from voting for a candidate selected to represent it in elections.

He also took a swipe at party members advocating "Bhora Musango" as this had cost the party during the March elections.

President Mugabe said some party members went as far as supping and dining with the MDC while others joined Simba Makoni’s Mavambo Movement.

"Zvino ndinoda kuti nditi musangano unoda vanhu vanemidzi haudi zinyekenyeke. Haudi vanhu vanoti ini ndavakuda mari. Vanhu vanoda kupinda muzvigaro zvehutungamiriri kuti vazvishandise kuita mari. Tavakuda kushandisa nehurumende kuzvipfumisa. Zvimwe zvinotinyadza zvokuti," he said.

President Mugabe said despite the current difficulties facing the country some leaders were stealing from the people and questioned the morality of such individuals.

He castigated such individuals for lacking principles and morality.