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President Mugabe being welcomed by Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri on arrival for a zanu-pf meeting at Bindura University of Science Education yesterday. Looking on are Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Advocate Martin Dinha, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba and other dignitaries. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda)

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—
President Mugabe yesterday urged civil servants to be patient and resilient in the wake of Government delays in paying salaries, saying the challenges were temporary.The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said this while addressing Zanu-PF supporters at Chipadze Stadium in Bindura yesterday evening after holding a meeting with family members and followers of the Johane Masowe apostolic sect led by Madzibaba Wimbo at Bindura University of Science Education.

The President held a separate meeting with Mashonaland Central legislators and traditional leaders. He said Zimbabwe was faced with challenges ranging from illegal sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union to an El Nino-induced drought.

“Ndochienda pakuti muri kunzwa vamwe vachingochema kuti hatisi kubhadharwa; vanosevenza muHurumende, hatisi kubhadharwa nenguva! Ichokwadi varikunonokerwa . . . dzimwe nguva nesvondo, dzimwe nguva nemasvondo maviri, dzimwe nguva ingave nemwedzi kana nemwedzi miviri, vasina kubhadharwa.

Listen to the audio below…

“Zvinoitika. Toyeuka kuti hatisati tava vanhu vane nyika inonzi haina matambudziko. Tine matambudziko emasanctions.

“Masanctions atakagara tinawo maAmericans havasati vaabvisa. VekuEurope vabvisa zvishoma, vachisiya zvimwe. Zvino, tinosevenzesa dollar. Dollar rinoitwa, rinopirindwa kuAmerica. Haripirindwe nesu,” said President Mugabe.

He said Government will strive to ensure that the problem of delays in salary payments was addressed but urged civil servants to be patient as the challenges did not mean that Zimbabwe was a poor country unable to meet its obligations.

“Tiri kuti inhamo yemazuvano chete. Hairambe yakadaro zvekuti madoctor vaende pastrike, manurse vaende pastrike, mateacher aende pastrike. “Havasi kunzi hatikupei mari yenyu. Aiwa! Vari kunzi chingovai nemoyo mukuru wekumbononokerwa, nekuti zvikwata nezvikwata zveHurumende zvakawanda, tichasvika kwamuriwo mopihwa mari yenyu.”

He urged people to embrace bond notes that would soon be introduced and ignore claims by detractors that they were not legal tender. President Mugabe expressed gratitude for those civil servants who had returned to work but urged them to be vigilant against fly-by-night opposition parties that might want to lead them astray.

He said some opposition parties including Zimbabwe People First led by deposed former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru held covert meetings in South Africa, supported by whites in that country, in their bid to form a coalition against Zanu-PF ahead of the 2018 general elections.

“Zvino movazve vanhu vanogara vakateya kuti Ah, muvengi ane tsika dzake dzaanoda kuita nadzo dzekukudubura Zanu-PF. Anoda, chinzwaika zviparty izvozvizvi zvakawanda nechaMai Mujuru ichocho chemazuva ano. Mufunge vanonyara kuita zvimusangano zvavo. Vanoda kubatana kuti vaite mushandirapamwe vakabatana. Vanonoitira zvimusangano zvavo kuSouth Africa vachipihwa mazano nevaRungu veSouth Africa kwete neANC, asi nevaRungu kuSouth Africa. Muchanzwisisa, tichazviburitsa pachena zvaiitika,”

Turning to the purpose of his visit in Mashonaland Central Province, President Mugabe warned senior security personnel against abusing their powers by sending their subordinates to harass members of the apostolic sect.

The warning followed reports that a Police Chief Superintendent was attacked by members of the sect at a shrine after he had visited the shrine with an aim to see his father, but was accused of trespassing.

During the attack, it is alleged gunshots were fired as a senior member of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces who is believed to be a member of the church enlisted the services of his subordinates to attack the senior police officer. In his address, President Mugabe apologised for the incident and said he had set up a committee to investigate what transpired before reporting back to him.

“Vamwe vangadai vakanganwa vari mumauto edu kuti hatidi kuti tingoti pasiyana vanhu, dzimwe nguva neshamwari dzedu kana neshamwari dzevamwe vangadai vari mumauto, toti totumira mauto ikoko, masoja kunokanganisa vanhu. Aiwa! Tine hurombo nekusungwa kwakaitwa mumwe Superintendent Commander akasungwa mbiradzakondo makumbo, maoko akaitwa zvinotonyadzisa zvandisingagone kutaura pano,” said President Mugabe.

He urged senior security forces members to respect church members. “Kana vachitipa support, ngavatipe pachavo nemoyo yavo ivo pachavo, kwete nekumanikidzwa, kwete nekuridzirwa pfuti. Hatidi! Handicho Chimurenga chatakarwira.” President Mugabe assured the people that Government would strive to provide food in the wake of the prevailing drought, adding that no one would starve.

Earlier on, President Mugabe met families and members of the apostolic sect for more than three hours before convening another meeting with traditional leaders and Members of Parliament from the province. The meetings went on until sunset.

President Mugabe had to rush to Chipadze Stadium to address Zanu-PF supporters while it was dark as the party cadres waited patiently for him. Several Cabinet Ministers, service chiefs, senior Zanu-PF officials, local traditional leaders attended the meetings.