via Mugabe slammed for wasting resources on birthday bash | SW Radio Africa by Tererai Karimakwenda on Monday, February 24, 2014
The million dollar party celebrating Robert Mugabe’s 90th birthday has been slammed as a disturbing sign of greed and waste of resources, in a country where the majority are struggling to feed their families.
The ageing ZANU PF leader was honoured with a lavish party at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera on Sunday, attended by an estimated 10,000 guests that included musicians and athletes as well as political and religious figures.
The Sunday Mail newspaper said a record 90 beasts were slaughtered to feed the guests and dozens more live animals were donated to Mugabe by the ZANU PF provinces. A huge cake was on display during festivities, where Mugabe claimed to be in good health, saying he felt “energetic like a boy of nine”.
Former Zimbabwean diplomat and commentator, Clifford Mashiri, disagreed, saying Mugabe was wheeled around the party on the back of a truck instead of walking to greet guests and supporters. This was unlike previous years when he made the rounds on his two feet.
Mashiri said the ageing leader had also exposed his frailty during an interview aired on state television Thursday, when he was seen struggling to speak and rambled on for long periods after each question.
Mashiri also blasted Mugabe and ZANU PF for spending so much on a birthday party, while the country was still dealing with the devastating effects of recent floods and many have nothing to eat. Mashiri said the event was nothing for them to brag about.
“Whether it was him who pooled together the money or it was his inner circle, it’s a waste of resources at a time when ordinary people are suffering, including civil servants to whom he made empty promises of salary increases several times. It is unfortunate Mugabe doesn’t show any sensitivity to that,” Mashiri explained.
Ahead of the stadium celebrations, Mugabe attended a party organised by his office staff at State House Saturday. This was soon after returning from Singapore where he allegedly had an operation to remove a cataract in his left eye, although most commentators felt it was more than that.
The highlight of the office party was reportedly a gigantic birthday gift presented to him by the staff, in the form of a 1.2 ton chair carved in stone and adorned with gold, diamonds, ivory and several animal skins.
Dubbed the “Simbahwe chair”, this throne took two years to make and was reportedly a labour of love to honour Mugabe, by three artists who demanded no fee. Mashiri questioned where the gold, diamonds and ivory came from and how his staff could have afforded such an extravagant gift.
“It’s most unfortunate there is a cult of personality in Mugabe and as such some people are worshipping him. This is also a serious contradiction in the fight to stop the poaching and abusive killing of animals in the country,” Mashiri said.
The party did not disappoint in drama either. In what Mashiri described as “sucking up”, Vice President Joice Mujuru reportedly praised Mugabe as an icon then turned to his daughter Bona and said: “Bona, you are not the first daughter, I am the first daughter.”
COMMENTS
This self centred dictator is busy wasting our resources just this month of february he has been to addis ababa and now singapore and it is he takes half a million dollars in Tand S irregadless of the destination now that a million dollars wothout the jet A1 being burnt to from the pilot allowances and all. His birthday has taken another million thats what is being published though its more. Now the patching of potholes for his daughter,s wedding is said to be costing the troubled council another million. Can zimbabwe afford this kind of president who preaches the re opening of industries and allocates the parent ministry a yearly budget of 7.2 million and his office is allocated 206 million dollars for his numerous trips and the smooth operation of the deadly CIO. How do you expect him to deal with the salarygate scandal when him and his family are blowing over 3 million dollars in taxpayer,s money.
Bona is not the first daughter, many will attend sekuru mugabe’s funeral.
his face is all puffy!!!stroke??
Cortisone
Well he can take the hideous chair with him to his grave. Maybe they should just sit him in it and shove him into a very deep hole. ONE HAD TO LAUGH WHEN HE SAID HE FELT AS FIT AS A 9YEAR OLD BOY!!!
If you saw that sham of an interview on You Tube prior to the celebrations you know Mugabe is insulting every 9year old boy in the country by saying that. He owes the boys a huge apology!.
Mugabe is regressing,dementing even. It was a horror interview like watching a dead man walking. It was cruel for any sane person in ZPF to endorse that man for another term.He is old and beat
please go.
i agree I saw that you tube video man he could not have spoken slower even if he tried and he does look his age he should be in an old age home I hate him he has caused so much heartacke to everyone…
And people blamed Chamatama for flip flopping. Mugabe flip flopped on the Musimirebwa issue. The flip flop should in the same breath disqualifies him as a good leader
Let Bob enjoy his last days peacefully lets look to the future.lets look at those people calling the shots in Bob’s Government.He is nw a seremonial president.
What you say is unbelievable or untrue while Mugabe has already reached his goals which is to hold the west and their followers even if they are blacks, Mugabe is the hero of Africa and had already provided profitable lessons and he has originated from a well known, blessed land that is why he is long life, he eats natural, he doesn’t eat snow like European who came in Africa after feeling worst starvation on the planet but in Africa you eat each and every tree or plant in front of you!!!!
yes Mugabe is eating like a king, while the rest of the population are starving…pray tell me what has Mugabe done in the past 32 years…besides stealing from the resources…Zimbabwe’s infrastructure has been broken down for years..the beautifull school I used to go to chaplin high in Gweru broking windows no fuirniture shame on you and all the other ZANU-PF NITWITS !!!!!!
Its pathetic.
Shock is for wests like you Zvakwana!! African blacks are always in happy life, you, you think deception over the world in particular the resourceful lands in Africa, but we are back, no way this time.