via Mugabe skirts succession developments in Zanu, raps African leaders and west instead | The Zimbabwean 1 August 2014
President Robert Mugabe on Thursday skirted the unraveling leadership issues within Zanu (PF), opting instead to rap African and western leaders for hypocrisy.
Speaking at State House to mark the July 31 2013 general elections that he and his party won with a two thirds majority against claims of vote rigging, Mugabe accused the current crop of African leaders of pandering to western interests.
He said Zanu (PF) had united to win last year’s elections, thereby enabling his supporters to remove the chains that he said Zimbabwe had endured under US and British interference and the west’s agenda to topple him and his party from power.
“They (countries like US and Britain) say, ‘We will give you help provided you do A, B or C’. You have to say ‘yes’ to them,” said Mugabe.
“Kwame Nkrumah (founder Ghanaian statesman), said Ghana would not be free until every corner of Africa was liberated. This thinking by Nkrumah is no longer there in Africa. Sad! How it will be gotten rid of, I just don’t know,” he added.
Mugabe said African leaders were letting the west control them through external financial assistance.
“There is this reliance—in some cases going up to 60 percent—on foreign aid across Africa. So, you can’t raise your voice against them (western countries). They seek to fund even our civil service,” he said.
He accused the US of hypocrisy, saying it was turning a blind eye on the “brutal” treatment of Palestinians in Gaza where Israel was “bombarding schools, hospitals and United Nations offices even, yet (US President Barack) Obama is silent”.
He said: “Obama is silent, (British premier David) Cameron is silent. That is when there is real suffering in small places like Gaza where the US sees no resources. Does their conscience then go to sleep? Is it so deep they can’t be awakened? They should not tell us about human rights”.
He hailed last year’s elections as peaceful, adding that western powers were manipulating the opposition—in reference to MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai—of making unsupported claims that he rigged the polls.
“All they say is that the elections were rigged but when we ask them where and how, they don’t have any answer. We ask them again, and they remain silent. It is clear that the west cannot come to terms with the fact that we won.
“We are back where we were on April 18 1980 (when Zimbabwe attained majority rule with Zanu (PF) winning most of the seats and forming the first black government). We are free to give direction to the masses as an unfettered political party. This is the celebration we are having today,” said Mugabe.
He described the time between 2009 and 2013 when Zanu (PF) was in a coalition government with Tsvangirai’s party and the smaller MDC faction fronted by former Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara, as a painful one when “we were made to roll in the mud”.
He urged his supporters in the women and youth leagues to desist from violence in the looming branch elections set to take place from next week ahead of an elective congress in December.
Delegates could be heard whispering among themselves that Mugabe should have shed light on recent succession dynamics in the party which culminated in his wife, Grace, being endorsed as the only candidate to lead the powerful women’s league at the congress.
While the league said her elevation was meant to fight factionalism that they said was rife, critics interpreted the move as Mugabe’s way of maintaining his power dynasty.
Mugabe shared the high table with his deputy, Joice Mujuru, the Senate president, Edna Madzongwe—who was instrumental in elevating Grace—administration secretary, Didymus Mutasa and Defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi who is touted as a possible successor to the 90 year old party leader.
The national chairman, Simon Khaya-Moyo and the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, were away on business, Mugabe announced, while Grace had travelled outside the country with Bona, their daughter.
COMMENTS
zanu is mugabe s own party because no one in that party challenges him on anything ,that s is why people stick with Tsvangirai no one else has done it before ,why are people in zanu quiet about Grace she di nt go to war,and yet she is being groomed to takeover from her husband ,no real men in zanu even the state controled media is quiet ,people can take the appointment of Grace as a non event ,but mark my words she is going far than that
“while Grace had travelled outside the country with Bona, their daughter.”
Perhaps Disgrace is looking outside of the country looking for Guccie Designer napkins for her daughter!!
Has he already forgotten the help he got from the Israelis to rig the elections . Do not bite the hand that feeds you Bob. These guys can sell you out if you threaten their existence. Typical Zanu, no honour among thieves .
Mugabe says, “We are back where we were on April 18 1980″, he forgets to mention, plus progressive Mugabe. Mugabe should not remind people of 1980, the year he inherited a vibrant economy which he has run to ground. He forgets that Zimbabwe was run by Britain until 1996. He does not realise that the British put him in power to prevent Nkomo from marching to SA where the British had more interests to be safeguards. The old man now realises that Britain used him like a condom, which was disused when Mandela was released from prison. The new presidents have realised that the power rests with the people and there is no need to fight their own people and stilling from them. They have realsied that following Mugabe’s ways will lead them back to the caves where Zimbabwe is heading. They have realsied that highly degreed President is incapable of using his degrees to improve his people’s lives. Our President should have taken a lectureship post at an institution of higher education, where theorising is needed.
Zimbabwean economy is booming, ZANU PF have found the formula, that lead everyone to work for chinese. Aluta Continua.
Does Mugabe need anyone to succeed him? NO NO. if possible it have been better for him to be buried with all of us.
In all his 90 long years, Mr Mugabe has failed to learn to listen.
His celebration of this day: “We are free to give direction to the masses as an unfettered political party.”
Would that Mugabe could learn to celebrate the freedom of the masses to choose their own direction.
The dangers of expecting a man going into the grave to lead you. Shame on Zanu.
Mugabe talking on Israel and palestine????? Shall we begin a new conversation closer to home??? In Zimbabwe to be exact. Gukuruhundi 1980’s???? Violent farm invasions 2000 and ongoing?????? 2008?????????????? elections. Marambatsvina?????? too many to mention: human rights, deaths, illegal imprisonment, death by starvation, death by no health care etc, etc etc. What a hypocrite.
Quoting Nkrumah Made me fall over with laughter. That despot was the first of very many failed tyrants of Africa and mugabarge won’t be the last idiotic dictator to ruin Africa !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”!””
I love Mugarbage – medium-rare, on the spit!
No where else in the world would a failed Dictator,
survive for 35 years, without a coup, or assassination!
As they say –
“The Devil’s not in a hurry,
for those he’s sure of”, go Mugarbage, go!
Those Flames of Hades are licking as your heels,
as you lick the fat off Gono’s chickens…..
Mugabe and zpf madhongi chaiwo zvichapera,zimbabweans work up and follow the chingwizi brave boys and girls that is the only way forward ,nomatter what let’s take action