1907: President Mugabe ends his speech by reiterating that if the West continued with the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe, Harare would naturally hit back through companies owned by foreigners who come from countries that imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.”Organise the party solidly, organise the party solidly,” he says.

President Mugabe addresses the Central Committee this evening

President Mugabe addresses the Central Committee this evening-Pic:John Manzongo

1903: He says party cadres must not backbite each other in the press. “When we are comrades, we are comrades at arms. We are fighting together. We have one common enemy, imperialism, neo-colonialism. Those are Africa’s enemies,” he says. He says Africa must not be used adding that some foreign missions were there to divide the party.

He says meeting diplomats was a preserve for the ministry of Foreign Affairs only.

1857: President Mugabe: “Please let’s not allow our people to die of hunger.” He says mining companies must intervene. “We are in a state of emergency. Why can they not? Even as loans to Government,” he said.

He said ZMDC must be vigilant to ensure their partners in diamond mining and other companies remitted what was due to the State. As he winds up his speech, he implores party leaders to remain united. He says the West and their proxies (MDC formations) could not fathom what hit them.

1847: President Mugabe said Government must reduce poverty among citizens. He said attempts have been made to get maize.

1845: He says Government was committed to establishing irrigation facilities to counter incessant drought so that farmers can get better yields. The President said they will revise very carefully and in a very revolutionary way patterns of mining ownership. He says most of the country’s gold has been smuggled out of the country. There is need to strengthen security to avert smuggling of minerals out of the country.

1840: President Mugabe says there was need for indigenous metallogists and geologists to form consortiums that would see them getting mining claims. Indigenisation was about indigenous Zimbabweans starting their own business than just getting into 51/49 percent shareholding with foreign investors. He says there was need to change mindsets of qualified personnel who believed they could only work for foreigners when they could do it on their own.

1833: He says Zim Asset must work adding that there were companies said to be resisting indigenisation (51/49). He says Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa would take an inventory of those companies and those which do not comply would lose their licences. President Mugabe says 49 percent shareholding was too huge for foreign investors to realise profit. They must recognise the 51/49 percent policy first.

1824: President Mugabe:”Natural resources are part of our wealth, part of what we believe God gave us. Digging our mother earth and you want to say what we are digging is less valuable than the tools you use to dig. We don’t agree with that theory that your tools are more valuable than our natural resources.”

1820: He says it should be clear to all party cadres who questioned the revolutionary party’s Look East policy that the  country cannot transform if it relied on the West. He says the policy was the best. The President congratulated the party for winning the elections and coming up with ideas to transform the economy through Zim Asset whose thrust was identifying that resources belonged to Zimbabweans. He says capitalism must not be condoned.

1816: President Mugabe says the best thing the party did this year was to defeat the MDC formations without using violence. He said the party won because of unity singling out Harare and Bulawayo as provinces that presented challenges to the revolutionary party. He, however, says the former did better because the party got six out of 26 seats. He says the July 31 elections had nothing to do with MDC formations but the British evidenced by their stance that the polls were not credible despite the fact that everyone who observed the elections gave them a clean bill of health.

1808: He says the party does not condone factionalism or camps throughout the country. He says party leadership must not unilaterally disqualify bonafide party cadres who want to stand for party positions. President Mugabe says down with party leaders who impose their proxies for lower positions

1803: The President has congratulated Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Themba Mliswa and  implored he works with all party cadres to unite the party regardless of claims that some people belonged to Politburo members Cdes Webster Shamu and Cde Ignatius Chombo.

1759: He urged the Politburo and Central Committee members to respect people’s choices when they vote. He says cadres must not divide people into factions. He says people belong to the party not individuals. “I am saying this because munechikonye mu leadership,” he said.

1755: He says the liberation struggle belonged to the people as they were involved which saw them winning the struggle. President Mugabe added that the party must maintain unity exhibited during the liberation struggle. He implored leaders from emulating Simba Makoni’s decision to challenge the party’s leadership.

1751: He says the enemy still had other ideas which saw black people being sent by the enemy to spy on guerrillas while others pretended to be on the liberation fighters’ side but provided poisoned food and clothes.

President Mugabe is welcomed upon his arrival to attend the Central Committee meeting by VP Mujuru in Chinhoyi today

President Mugabe is welcomed upon his arrival to attend the Central Committee meeting by VP Mujuru in Chinhoyi today-Pic:John Manzongo

1748: President Mugabe says it was important to build the liberation struggle on the support of the people in fighting Rhodesian Forces through providing information, food, medical attention among others.

1743: He says the choice of Chinhoyi as a host of this year’s conference was the best considering that this is the city where the first battle against Rhodesian Forces was started which saw sic liberation fighters dying in the fight.

1739: The President said the party is saddened by the death of 254 party cadres this year including those who were declared national heroes (8), liberation war heroes (180) and liberation heroes (66).

1732: President Mugabe is now addressing the Central Committee.

1727: Earlier in the day Zanu-PF youths who took part in the 115km Environmental Walk from Harare arrived in Chinhoyi. Residents and other stakeholders cleaned up the CBD.

1724: Members of the Presidium have taken their seats at the high table for official proceedings of the Central Committee.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (left), Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo and Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Francis Nhema arrive at the Central Committee meeting

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (left), Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo and Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Francis Nhema arrive for the Central Committee meeting-Pic:Llyod Gumbo

1621: President Mugabe has arrived at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) where the Zanu PF 14th Annual National People’s Conference is being held until Saturday December 14.

 

 

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