via $5million for Mugabe statues | The Zimbabwean. 04.03.14
Chombo was not answering his phone despite repeated attempts and had not responded to sms messages requesting comment on the matter at the time of going to press.
Unconfirmed reports say the construction of the effigies started in 2009 and the pieces now are ready for delivery. One of the statues is a bronze image of Mugabe worth $3.5 million and measuring the height of five men standing on top of each other.
The reports claim it is to be erected at either the national Heroes Acre or the Africa Unity Square in central Harare.
If installed at the national shrine, the statue would be put up next to the giant Tomb of the Unknown Soldier built by the North Koreans shortly after independence. It is reportedly similar to the one that Saddam Hussein built for himself, which was destroyed when he was overthrown in April 2003.
The smaller bronze statue, valued at $1,5 million, will be put up in Mugabe’s rural Zvimba home, where it will be part of a $3.8 million museum to be named after Mugabe. Chombo is the chief coordinator of the project. Mugabe has reportedly insisted that the statues be erected only when he is dead.
This is despite his portrait being a major feature on Zanu (PF) party regalia, with critics saying he has built personality cult around himself, in the North-Korean mould.
North Korea shares close ties with Zanu (PF) dating back to the 1970s when it gave the party military support. It helped with training of a crack brigade that was responsible for massacres in Matabeleland in the early 1980s when Mugabe unleashed troops in southern Zimbabwe, ostensibly to flush out dissidents.
Around 20,000 innocent civilians were killed during the Gukurahundi, that ended with the signing of the 1987 unity agreement between Mugabe’s Zanu and (PF) Zapu then led by Joshua Nkomo.
In 2012 Chombo made attempts to build a modern city in Mount Hampden, near Zvimba – the rural home he shares with Mugabe – but it seems to have suffered a still birth. At the time Chombo said the city would be moulded along the uptown Sandton area of Johannesburg, complete with a parliament complex, modern malls, hotels and government offices.
COMMENTS
Can’t wait to see them!…
(Mugabe has reportedly insisted that the statues be erected only when he is dead.)
Apolitical truth is that Sutton Price and south African psychological warfare were responsible and set up the massacre in Matebeleland – of course propaganda press still trys to defend the real criminals because some of them joined MDC and to the shame of Matabeleland some even voted for them. Besides journalists don’t get paid it they write the truth.
What are you talking about???
Apolitical you are a big tasteless joke. So, if Mugabe was not responsible for the genocide why doesn’t he allow the commemoration of the events? Why has he stopped every effort to give the deceased decent burials? People get arrested for even talking about gukurahundi. Stop insulting our intelligence you moron.
He’s right about the writers at the Herakd
That’s pathetic
We all saw what happened to the statues of Stalin and Saddam
Yup. Can’t wait! 🙂
Told you about this CIO clown. Never makes sense. All of a sudden Robert Mugabe who said it was a time of madness is part of the Sutton Price and south African psychological warfare.
@ ZimJim and John Thomas: like your comments! At least we can rest assured that they wont look like Mugabe’s ugly mug! And will make good target practice before they are toppled!
No money in the state coffers ,Chin says. But, there’s 5 million down the drain .Zanu the bling bling party. The brains of a 9 year old.
Waste your money but you won’t bring him back. In essence, they will be the first items to come down. Who would want to be confronted by his ugly face?
Will pull them down ASAP. Wasted money. I do not see statues of hitler the areshole from Rumania or Gadafi so what’s the fuss. Go ahead mr chombo do your thing!!!!!!!! Hahahaha
It is befitting for Chombo to spearhead this nonsense. He is one of the key beneficiaries of Mugabe’s reign of thievery.
chombo uri dhodhi
They think big cars and statues are a sign of success!!! Sad!!
Why could this have not being built in zim out of stone. People of zim are some of the best stone masons in the world
Chombo is dhodhi and so is mugabage. We will have even more pleasure in destroying the statues than he will have praising mugabage
Zanu pf Zanu pf its now too much $1 million birthday bash to a $7million wedding and now $5 million statues now its $13 million taxpayers funding the president,s personal life. This kind of money would have helped a lot the disadvantged children who are failing to go to school because BEAM is underfunded or the Tokwe Mukosi flood victims are in desperate need of aid but the treasury is busy pampering the president with larvish birthday and statues. I think all zimbabweans now whether uburn or rural will vote wisely because this Zanu pf party does not have people at heart. As for the statues we will do what the Iraqis did on Saddam Hussein,s statues so its a temporary investment.
At least we will have something (worth millions) to pull down when the day comes!
Please, lets get things straight, Gukurahundi Mugabe is NOT the founding father of Zimbabwe. A Gukurahundi by definition can not be a FATHER – he is a street thug.
How on earth can a gukurahundi Shona tribalist be a FOUNDING FATHER? Its simply not possible.
Besides, how can a late-comer; a Mafikizolo to the Zimbabwe Nationalist movement be a founding father? The Gukurahundi only joined politics in the 1960s, and only took up a significant leadership role on the 1970s, long after the original fathers of the struggle had been around.
The founding father of Zim is Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo – PERIOD!!!
The statues must be placed along Chombo dual highway to the airport….
At least one comon thing is that we are all awaiting Mugabe’s death. Understandably there is an open tomb at heroes acre marked Zim 1.
Our History, Our Heritage:
Some Zim Truths:
1. Founding Father: Yes RGM is the founding Father of Zim. He led the liberation war for the country and became the first popularly elected PM and later President.
2. Not Father Zimbabwe: JMN was not the founding father. The man made so many mistakes pre- and post independence that some unluckier politician would have fallen flat thru them. Hiding weapons of war and supporting the Gukurahundi rebellion while he was a govt minister was one of his biggest mistakes. To add in’salt’ to injury he abandoned his fighters to find cold comfort in far away lands and only came back when he knew it would be safe. He called off the rebellion after realising the futility of his chosen path- which had caused many deaths. He carries some blame for the results of such rebellious actions.
3. Forgiven by RGM the Founding Father: Instead of arresting JMN for his treasonous actions, the Founding Father forgave him and rewarded him with a vice presidential post. That was a demonstration of true fatherly love for an insolent and disobedient son – where others would have taken out the whip of chords.
4. Fatherly Love – Not Weakness: Some will take these actions as signs of weakness and try their luck in destabilising our beautiful country- but im sure they are in for a rude shock. The statues will be erected and designated national monuments and woe to those who will dare affect them! There are now so many replicant RGMs at home and abroad that there may be nowhere to hide for any of the would-be miscreants or mischief makers in this area.
Yes RGM is the Founding Father of Zimbabwe- present continuous- he continues to shape this emerging giant of Africa!