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his Western allies have been making unsubstantiated claims of vote rigging over the past few weeks, a development analysts said was meant to create self-fulfilling prophecies ahead of imminent defeat in the harmonised elections.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at a campaign rally at the Aerodrome Grounds in Mutare, President Mugabe said Zanu-PF was politically experienced and had no need to rig an election.

“We are now mature people,” he said. “We are not having elections for the first time. Some people elsewhere thought we were starters. We are not political starters; we have had elections before, good elections.

“We never had rigged elections. Ava veMDC vanoti you are rigging, well, its politics, but they know for certain that we don’t rig elections, never ever.
“So, let us observe peace, be united in our country, but that unity must be based on recognising that there are other groups that have their own programmes.”
President Mugabe said although other parties had their programmes, Zanu-PF had the best.

“Isu tinovimba kuti our programme ndiyo number one, haienzani nezvimwewo zvimaprogramme,” he said. “Asika makwikwika aya atiri kuita. Makwikwi, zvino mukukwikwidzana imomo ngamuve nekusava nehondo, ngative vanhu vava neruzivo zvino vashambidzika.”

The President said as people campaign and go to vote they should always remember the late Vice President John Landa Nkomo’s constant refrain on peace.
“Ticherechedze chido chava Nkomo: “Peace begins with me, peace begins with you, and peace begins with all of us”.

“So, as you march to the poll, you must know where you are going to vote at in time. That march must be a peaceful march. Saka tirikunzwanaka?”
President Mugabe urged people never to surrender their principles as taught by former Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah.

“You should never, never, never surrender principles, ndiNkrumah akatidzidzisa zvinangwa zvakakosha, zvakaita semitemo yakakosha,” he said.
“Hazvidonhedzwe, haidonhedzwe. Chinangwa chekuti nyika ndeyangu. Haudonhedze chinangwa chekuti zvairi yangu ndini ndosungirwa kuidzivirira. Chinangwa chokuti ndini ndosungirwa kuifira, chinangwa chokuti ndini ndinosungirwa kuifambisa, chinangwa chokuti ndini newe takabatana. Haisi yangu ndoga, ndeyedu tose nevamwe veZimbabwe. Those are crucial principles.”

President Mugabe implored the people of Manicaland not to repeat the mistakes of 2008 “where people forgot that thousands and thousands of sons from this province sacrificed their lives to liberate this country”.

He said heroes such as Cdes Herbert Chitepo, Edgar Tekere and Chief Rekayi Tangwena, who all hailed from Manicaland, never betrayed the struggle.
“Takakanganisa, ehe zvinoitika, asi let’s not forget that sons of this province, like Herbert Chitepo, sacrificed for our independence,” said President Mugabe.

“It was a mistake in 2008 and we should not let it happen again. The MDC was a creation of the Westminster Foundation, which in itself was a coming together of three political parties in Britain, the Labour Party, the Conservatives and the Liberals.

“Imagine three British political parties coming together to fight us. But we had a history, dating back to the days of the ANC, dating back to Mbuya Nehanda and you cannot change a revolution. Vaida kuchinja, asi revolution haichinjike.

“Chipuka ichocho chakavakwa nemaBritish chinotauka sechura, apo neapo. Then we drew comparisons with our homegrown parties, from the days of the ANC, the Democratic Party, then Zapu, Zanu then we said no, no. Asi chipuka ichocho chakamedza maseats makumi maviri kuno kuManicaland muna2008. Tirikuda kuti chirutse maseats iwayo. Kana muri pakuchirutsisa maseats iwayo, ndinenge ndinemi.”

President Mugabe narrated the background to the formation of the inclusive Government and said the MDC wanted to bite more than they could chew during negotiations.
“Takavapa nguva, vakati tipei finance tichibvuma zvedu, vakati tipei economic planning tichibvuma zvedu,” he said. “Vakati defence, tikati, ah defence kwete. Kuti makarwa hondo here?”

President Mugabe said diamonds being mined in Marange in Manicaland should benefit the local people.
“Madiamonds ari kubva kuMarange. Through the community share ownership scheme, vekuMarange should benefit more nokuti ndivo vane maroads anotsikwa-tsikwa, ndivo vanobviswa mumisha yavo, so they should benefit more,” he said.

“Ko, vekuNyanga vanozoitwa sei? A certain percentage goes to the national purse, which will benefit other communities. But we are saying local companies should be supported by the mining companies, for instance, polishing should be done here.”

President Mugabe said Zanu-PF would forge ahead with the indigenisation and empowerment policies if it wins the elections.
“We need to empower our youths and women and indigenisation is a process to give us jobs,” he said. “We are saying let’s have 51 percent in the big companies.
“But even that 49 percent for them is too generous. Though here and there we need foreign investment, we mustn’t rely solely on foreign funds.

“So, let’s build our own companies, with 50-50 local ownership, so that no funds go outside, employment is created and it is development that we are proud of.
“We have built schools, our children are educated. We are being admired that we have the best literacy rate in Africa at 91 percent. Even South Africa tinoikunda, Equatorial Guinea is in second place at 86 percent.”

President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to be proud of their country and not lie in order for them get asylum in Western countries.
“We have nurses in Britain, wese aida kubuda munyika aingopa mhosva kunavaMugabe,” he said. “Vari kutiza munyika hanzi VaMugabe, hanzi kune njodzi kumusha ndiri kuda kubatwa.

“So, I became a passport. Waingoti “Mugabe” wonzi pinda. Even Mai Banana (wife to the country’s first president Canaan Banana) when she wanted to stay with her sons, hanzi vaMugabe. But honestly what could we do to the wife of a former president?

“Saka tiri kuti kune vanhu ivavo, une nyika yako, makarwira nyika yenyu. Kwave kuenda kukanyika kanotonhora kuti zvinzi wakaenda kuEngland chete, wongouya kuzofira kuno chete? Ngativei vanhu vanovimba nezvavari, let’s create jobs for our kids. We have mining engineers, and the mines are there.”

President Mugabe said MDC-T officials in Government misused US$500 million that was extended to the country by the International Monetary Fund.
“We were given US$500 million to resuscitate our industry by the IMF through the Special Drawing Rights,” he said.

“But they said we will keep the money for elections and today we don’t even know where the money is, not even a cent. They have homes in South Africa and they go there every weekend. Isu vaMugabe tinenge tirimuno.”

President Mugbe criticised US president, Barack Obama for advocating homosexuality.
The US president visited some Africa countries recently where he implored them to embrace homosexuality as a sign of being democratic.

“Then we have this American president, Obama, born of an African father, who is saying we will not give you aid if you don’t embrace homosexuality,” President Mugabe said.
“We ask, was he born out of homosexuality? We need continuity in our race, and that comes from the woman, and no to homosexuality. John and John, no; Maria and Maria, no. Kana zvirizvo, tovavharira five years mumba imwe, murume nemurume, vobuda vane vana two. If they don’t, we will cut their heads off.

“Ndoimwe nyaya yavakandivengera. I told them they are worse than dogs and pigs, yes worse than dogs and pigs. I keep pigs and the male pig knows the female one, haudzimanikidze, dzinozivana, chero shiri dzesango . . . vanhu vokurirwa pfungwa nemhuka? They have a whole community of gays advocating human rights? Unhu ipapa huri pai? Kuno uku hatidi, hatidi, hatidi. Munoziva zvekuita navo.”

Before addressing the huge gathering, President Mugabe officially opened St Noah High School in Mafararikwa in Marange, which was named after Noah Taguta, leader of Johanne Marange Apostolic Church.

President Mugabe donated US$50 000 to the school and some computers, while First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe gave the school US$20 000.
Manicaland Governor and Resident Minister Chris Mushohwe donated 10 000 exercise books, 2 000 pens, 2 000 rulers, 2 000 pencils and 10 footballs to the school.
Addressing the rally in Mutare after President Mugabe, Amai Grace Mugabe thanked the thousands who gathered for the rally, imploring them to uphold the peace that is prevailing.

She urged the people to vote for President Mugabe because he is principled and trustworthy.
Manicaland Zanu-PF leadership led by chairperson Ambassador John Mvundura promised President Mugabe that the party would win in all the 26 seats in the province.