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President Mugabe delivers his speech during the official opening of the First Session of the 8th Parliament yesterday

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said MDC-T dug its own grave after it came up with policies that created suffering among people by denying them agricultural inputs and did not improve their lives. He castigated MDC-T for failing to discern that their defeat was inevitable saying despite having educated people in their midst, they failed to come up with people-centred policies.

President Mugabe said this yesterday while addressing guests during a luncheon hosted by the ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

Zimbabwe, said President Mugabe, secured US$500 million from the International Monetary Fund but former Finance Minister Tendai Biti failed to revive industry so that the firms could ward off the effects of illegal sanctions imposed by the Americans and their Western allies.

“Surely they should have known even three years ago that with policies that deny people inputs in agriculture, you are denying even the sustenance of companies and there is greater unemployment growing all the time,” said President Mugabe.

“We thought it was going to be injected into industry and sustain them so that they are more resilient and resistant to                          sanctions.
“If you have policies that are negative against your people, well, you are building up resounding punishment. The people are punitive in their own way.”

He said Mr Biti could not even agree to fund the Grain Marketing Board to enable it to pay farmers for grain delivered.
President Mugabe said he sympathised with urban people who bore the brunt of facing several financial obligations like rentals, utility bills yet they were earning low salaries.

He said mobile service providers like Econet should also allow broad participation for other players as what Telecel did by roping in indigenous players.

Telecel, he said, had included other local players, like war veterans, women groups and Affirmative Action Group among others to have stake.

President Mugabe however said businessman, Mr James Makamba cunningly, asked some of these minority shareholders to sell their equity, a development that saw him increasing his equity in Telecel.

He chided losing Zanu-PF candidate for Chinhoyi in the July 31 election, Cde Phililip Chiyangwa for being pompous, saying that could be one reason that contributed to his loss at the hands of the MDC-T.

“Ngaagare pasi. Timuratidze kuti aiwa kana uchienda kuvanhu hauvhaire kuti ndine zvakati. Be down (to earth) Mari handiyo inoshanda all the time,” said President Mugabe.

“Handisati ndamuwona kuti ndimuseke kuti nhai Gushungo, in all Mashonaland West Province Gushungo ndivo vakati mbombombo. Zvino ndakanzwa VaChombo vachiti zuva iroro, vakarara nebhutsu,” the President said to laughter from guests.

Speaking at the same occasion, Minister Chombo said they would hold a capacity building workshop for newly elected councillors to enhance service delivery.