| By Lee Shungu,
on May 30 2008 05:04
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Favoured : 19 |
The aging Zimbabwe’s only president since 1980, Robert Mugabe has encouraged nationals to engage in violence, contradictory to his recent statements which condone politically motivated fighting.
Speaking on Africa Day at a function to launch the Zanu PF’s June 27 presidential run-off election manifesto at the party’s headquaters in Harare, Mugabe hinted if attacked, one should fight back - thereby giving political violence the green light. “Tinoziva kutsutsumwa kunoita vanhu- panyaya yekudya, yekugadzirisa migwagwa nezvimwewo. (We understand that people grumble about lack of food, repairing of roads and many more.) “ “Tinenge tine chinangwa nazvo, asi chinonetsa kuzvisvitsa kuvanhu. (We have the plans and solutions, but the problem is getting the things to the people,” he said. At 84, Mugabe is seeking another term in office. In the first round of the elections held on March 29, Mugabe lost to MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai- who failed to get 50 percent and evade a run-off. The ruling party has set up bases, especially in rural areas, where its youth militia is terrorizing villagers for voting against its party president in the previous poll. Mugabe said in the work his party embarked on, the West is looking for excuses to say ZANU PF has been beating people, and the like. “We condone violence in the country.” “If someone attacks you with a spear- don’t say my president said I should not engage in violence- you’ll die,” he said. According to the MDC, at least 40 of its party members have been murdered by alleged ZANU PF militia and supporters.
Tsvangirai arrived in the country during the weekend, on Saturday. He reportedly visited the violence victims at the Avenues Clinic in Harare, before he addressed a press conference to condemn the ZANU PF brutality. Mugabe emphasized, as we execute our campaign, people must know freedom just don’t come, people must be prepared to suffer. “Pamberi neZANU PF. Pasi neMDC, pasi nembavha.” “We celebrate today the sovereignty of Africa, the sovereignty of Zimbabwe.” “Over 200 thousand years ago, there was a meeting in Europe to divide Africa. They partitioned the continent among themselves.” “Then there came a time when freedom came to countries- one by one.” According to Mugabe, the independence didn’t come on a silver platter. Blood was shed. “Imi veopposition nevarungu venyu mongotora nyika isu takakutarisai manje? (You- the opposition and your whites just take the country away whilst we look?)” “You saw who really our enemy was when the election results were announced. They fled in the country threatening to take over farms. You saw the joy by the British and the Americans.” “You saw the American prostitute who moved around the country celebrating- the MDC had won.”
“Divisions must go. Brother and brother are quarrelling.” “Kana wafunga kutipandukira, ibva wanyatsopanduka chaizvo. Kana wabuda makatarwa nemusangano. Nesu tichakutora semhandu chaiyo.” “Fighting in Vietnam doesn’t give you the mandate to intervene in our politics.” “Tall as he is, I will kick him out of the country.” Mugabe referred to US ambassador- McGee. McGee recently led a convoy of ambassadors to tour areas and hospitals where victims of violence had been admitted. The US ambassador defied a police order not to enter the areas.
“Ambassadors are supposed to act in accordance with our country’s rules and regulations.” “We have our ambassador in Washington, but he respects the American rules,” he said. Mugabe and his party have strongly denied any links to fuelling political violence in the country, and blame the opposition for attacking its supporters and sympathizers. |