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. . . she’s too simplistic, unprincipled’

. . . colluded with opposition, Westerners

President Mugabe addresses the war veterans leadership and service chiefs in Harare yesterday

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
President Mugabe yesterday broke his silence on Vice President Joice Mujuru, describing her as too simplistic and unprincipled to run a country because of her readiness to embrace quisling politics.

He said the embattled VP did not want Zimbabwe to go for elections last year in sync with the MDC position.

He made the remarks while addressing service chiefs and the new executive of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association at Zanu-PF Headquarters yesterday where the latter, led by Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa, were being introduced to him.

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President Mugabe urged the new war veterans executive to be united and have a common purpose than bicker for positions which destroyed organisations.

“We are experiencing it for the first time in Zanu-PF and for that matter it’s a woman who is saying ndakudawo kumbogara,” President Mugabe said, drawing applause from the service chiefs and war veterans.

“And the consequences, ah no hapana anombofunga kuti can I actually handle the country nemapressures ese aya?

“We know the infiltration that has gone on. We know the discussions that have been done ‘oh tinozoita link up neMDC toita pamwechete and America then will pour lots of money, Britain, ummmmh you know that simplistic thinking. Simplistic thinking. I don’t trust a white man at all. Never!” he said.

Service chiefs who attended the meeting include Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshall Perrance Shiri, Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services Commissioner Paradzai Zimondi, Central Intelligence Organisation director-general Happyton Bonyongwe as well as Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba who represented Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda.

President Mugabe said former colonial masters in Africa still maintained a firm grip in some countries, especially former French colonies where France owned resources in those countries and dictated to them how they were to behave.

He said the development made it difficult for African countries to come up with common purpose at the African Union.

The President said Western countries influenced a number of African countries and leaders to discourage Zimbabwe from conducting a run-off election after the inconclusive March 29, 2008 harmonised elections where MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai led in the first round by securing just more than 47 percent while President Mugabe had 43 percent though Zanu-PF beat MDC-T in both houses of parliament amassing 45.94 percent of the vote to MDC-T’s 43.56 in the Senate; and 45.94 percent to 42.88 in the House of Assembly suffrage.

Yet the Constitution stated that for a Presidential candidate to be declared a winner, they were supposed to garner 50 plus one percent.

“Even Thabo Mbeki was saying no what use is there, the Europeans will not recognise you if you go for another election and win? Ah do I care for European recognition?

“The Inclusive Government was a humiliating thing but infact even in politics you must have also a strategy that ah now this is what needs to be done. And Jabulani (Sibanda) was saying ah matengesa kuti muve in association naTsvangirai. Even my child Bellarmine was saying ah mabva mukubata Tsvangirai handidi. Dad I won’t shake you. So you can see how humiliated I was. When you are rejected by your own son,” President Mugabe said.

He added that the MDC and some forces within Zanu-PF wanted the inclusive Government’s life to be extended beyond the five-year term.

“But I knew of course that well we would get them. Fine we worked together, I gave Tsvangirai tea. He thought I had put poison in the tea so I drank the tea and gave him. But later on he was asking for more like Oliver Twist. In the meantime we were building our party. Ivo vakanakirwa nawo saying no we should not have elections…

“Even our side, our people didn’t want elections. Vana Mai Mujuru didn’t want elections. Why? There you are. So we had those elections our own way and we emerged 31st July with that resounding victory,” said President Mugabe.

He said it was important for party cadres to remain steadfast on principles than sacrifice them for expediency or money.

He said some people including Americans and former Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Xin Shunkang thought Zanu-PF would lose the elections.

President Mugabe thanked the war veterans for throwing their weight behind his sole candidacy at the Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress.

He said he would continue as President as long as God wished him to remain there.

President Mugabe urged the war veterans to remain united and principled so that Government can recognise them even through creation of a specific ministry for them.

He said Government would endeavour to empower war veterans through various interventions.

The President was responding to some of the resolutions of the war veterans at the congress that was held at Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo recently where the new executive was elected into office.

War veterans leader, Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa read out the resolutions among them their support for the amendment of the party constitution to ensure that there is one centre of power as well as President Mugabe’ sole candidacy and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe’s elevation to the position of secretary for Women’s Affairs.