Caiphas Chimhete
28 February 2009
Chinhoyi — Hungry Zanu PF supporters fell over each other as they scrambled for food at President Robert Mugabe's much hyped 85th birthday celebrations yesterday, where ordinary people were served boiled meat and sadza.
There was pandemonium as elderly people and youths rushed to the serving points soon after a combative Mugabe finished his winding speech.
Bouncers worked over time trying to control queues as people fought their way to get their portions of the ordinary meal served on plastic paper plates and old newspapers because of a shortage of plates.
For the people, there was no sign of the classy cuisine and expensive drinks budgeted for by the organisers of the North Korean-style event.
Top government officials, including Mugabe, had their lunch at a hotel where entry was restricted.
In his speech, Mugabe vowed the violent land seizures from white commercial farmers would continue despite the inauguration of the unity government.
He said there would be no letting up on the land redistribution despite concerns it was poisoning the political environment and worsening the economic collapse.
"Once a farm is designated the original owner must be prepared to vacate that farm within a time frame that is acceptable," he said.
Mugabe dismissed the ruling by the South African Development Community (Sadc) Tribunal that gave beleaguered farmers a reprieve, describing it as a non-event.
"That's nonsense, absolutely nonsense," he said. "We have courts here in the country which can determine the rights of our people."
He assured his supporters that Zanu PF was still in charge despite losing its parliamentary majority to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations in last year's elections.
"In the hierarchy I am on top as the President, followed by Vice- President Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru then (Prime Minister Morgan) Tsvangirai and his deputies, it has come to this because we lost the March elections," he said.
About 4 000 people, including Zanu PF ministers and those who were dropped from the cabinet, attended the event.
Ordinary people said they attended because they thought Tsvangirai would be part of the proceedings.
Mugabe's rectangular cake weighed 85kg and it was written 85 on all sides with different decorative colours.
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Note: it has come to this because we lost the March elections," he said.
One has to admire the LOYALTY shown to Mugabe. The man is an icon ! Yes, and we need to take ALL the land back.
We really need to take back (our land),any part we choose. (Period).Happy birthday Pres.,and PM. I love you Both.God bless Africa and America. Oweij Liebo,U.S.A.
leviboone, " We really need to take back ( our) land, any part of it ", you say with uncertainty peeking behind a white man's curtain. Why are you not in your own African land? Because your own black leaders treat you like crap with no rights and that is why you scurry like cockroaches to the West instead of improving your Africa. How nice would it be to return to Africa and find all the rights you enjoyed in the west also there.
Even if you take all the land back, it is not sure you will be able to make good use of it for the benefits of the majority of Zimbos! Mugabe's thugs will fight one another to ensure that they get the largest slice. But then, without agricultural workers, who are now exiled in large numbers to SA, Mugabe's thugs would only sit on the land and speculate.
Confused people like AK47, Hollowjaw, Kubatana6 and group are so vile and filled up with hatred that they let emotions carry their mind. Mugabe plays with their emotions like that of kids.
Zimbos who are dying of cholera need medicines, not land to revert to good health. Destitue Zimbos need two meals a day to ward off famine, not land!
Only fools and idiots can be led by their nose by Mugabe on the land question. It's a sad day for Zimbos since most of the land in question has already been confiscated and distributed to Mugabe's cronies.
Mugabe is very cunning not to spell out a land policy and steps required to fructify it. He can press the button each time he wants idiots to rallye behind him against any genuine move by MDCs to democratise further the institutions of the country.
So I guess, you will feel better if we accept as Africans that we are incapable and just give all our lands to Europeans. Maybe we should just also vacate our country and let the Europeans take over while we are at it.
Couldn't be any worse than it is now. Used to be a lot better.....before Mugabe.
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