Published by the government of Zimbabwe
20 December 2008
Harare — 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.
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more talkinig out of his backside and as always, reported sycophantly by the rag, struggling to flog 50 or so copies a day, called The Herald.
The only solution is for Mugabe is to invite young blood to help spearhead the development of the country. There has never been wrong with MDC to take over the reigns ko ndo vana vedu. Honestly if we start to believe this trash about recolonisation then we are going to live in bondage of stupidity. Hapana chinoitika kunyeba, patakabva ku Hondo 1980 vana Mugabe vaka mhanyira kutonga isu taka mhanyira maFactory. Today if I had stayed in Zimbabwe I couldnt have been unsuccessful, because when my company was in zim almost every day people came to seek money for 21st February movement, independence, heroes etc hapana chaibuda.
The last sentence says it all, "the (g)overnment is doing everything that it can"!
The fact of the matter is that "everything it can" means very little will ever be accomplished. ZANU-PF/Mugabe (for WHATEVER resaon) has presided over an accelerating decline in living standards and life expectancy in Zimbabwe that should logically exclude them from any consideration as a party to the next government. They have failed to improve anything in 28 years of exclusive power.
The truth is, ZANU-PF/Mugabe is NOT the Government of Zimbabwe! They are nothing more than a political party who, until March '08, held a majority in Parliament.
Part of the problem in Zimbabwe is that ZANU-PF/Mugabe see themselves as the "State" itself which is encapsulated by Comrade Bob's comment that "Zimbabwe is mine!" (which sort of reminds me that Idi Amin also though Uganda was his). But in reality, there are many Zimbabweans who are not ZANU-PF members, who did not vote for Comrade Bob, and have suffered under the rule of ZANU-PF - doesn't Zimbabwe "belong" to them too? The Government of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe itself belongs to ALL the people of Zimbabwe, only some of whom are ZANU-PF, not some delusional octagenarian freedom fighter three decades removed from his best years!
Bottom line, ZANU-PF/Mugabe are NOT the "Government" of Zimbabwe! They are a members of THE Government of Zimbabwe which will eventually include members of MDC-T & MDC-M and Independents who are NOT ZANU-PF!
So to MDC-T I say, Let ZANU-PF/Mugabe try to "go it alone"! Let's see how far Constitutional Amendment 19 gets in Parliament without MDC-T's support! Without Constitutional Amendment 19, there is NO Government in Zimbabwe! Even SADC stated that the June "elections" were NOT free & fair. Without the active participation of MDC-T in the executive branch of the government, there is no legitimate government of Zimbabwe.
Let ZANU-PF//Mugabe "go it alone" as a "government" in Zimbabwe, but they will end up just like the story of the snake chasing after and eating his own tail......... eventually he swallows his own head!
Why do people not see the obvious? MDC has been given the mandate by the people, but by refusing to take up the reins of power they have, by default, handed over the mandate to Mugabe, who has in fact been going it alone since March elections. Unelected people continue to run, more correctly to "ruin", the country while the elcted representatives watch on the sidelines.
If the other guys even agree to come in they will only be puppets for Mugabe b/c he will not give up any real power so I do not blame them for refusing to be puppets for Mugabe...
Being a puppet is a choice - Mugabe can never make MDC his puppets if they are true to their mandate from the people. The problem with MDC is the failure of the leadership to transcesnd from opposition to ruling party. The people have misplaced their faith in spineless people who know nothing about power and politics.
The problem is zim patriot Mugabe is not going to allow the MDC to move in as the ruling party while he is in power and I do not care what he calls them Mugabe will run the country... It is sad but true unless Zimbabwean's say no more which will mean more hurt, hunger and death in Zim...
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