via Mugabe rejects Sadc vehicles | The Zimbabwe Independent by Elias Mambo in Malawi
APPARENTLY fearing for his life, President Robert Mugabe last week rejected the use of Sadc vehicles during the just-ended 33rd Sadc heads of state and government summit held in Lilongwe, Malawi, citing security reasons, the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.
Sources said Mugabe was paranoid and did not want to accept a Sadc-hired Mercedes Benz because most European countries enjoy good relations with Malawi so chances of an ambush by locally based agents were high.
Upon his arrival at Kamuzu International Airport on Friday evening, Mugabe blasted the West for refusing to accept his victory and opted to use his official Zim 1 limousine sent to Malawi by road, arriving a day before the summit.
Sources said Mugabe, who is already heavily guarded, has escalated his security after the July 31 polls were disputed amid allegations of rigging and irregularities which the MDC-T failed to prove in court arguing lack of supply of crucial material from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission it needed to prove its allegations.
“Mugabe does not want to risk his safety, especially after the controversy surrounding the elections,” the source said. “The West were in the forefront in refusing to accept the elections results and this raises security concerns especially when one is out of his country.”
Malawi enjoys cordial relations with the West since President Joyce Banda took over from the late Bingu Wa Mutharika making Mugabe feel insecure because of their presence.
A senior Malawian government official said Banda ordered that all ministerial vehicles (Mercedes-Benzes) be rented to the regional body for heads of states while fleet vehicles in the ministries were for other duties.
The Malawi government also flighted an advertisement for ordinary people with vehicles in excellent condition to apply and supply them for use by the regional bloc’s delegates.
An outcry over the US$1,3 million used for hosting the Sadc summit was awash in the private media in Malawi with much of the budget going towards the hiring of vehicles.
Despite shock displayed by the Malawian officials, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said there was no need for alarm as the president “always” used his official car for regional engagements.
“He has always been using his own car for regional engagements so there is nothing new here,” Charamba said.
On Thursday last week, three vehicles, two Toyota Hiluxes registration numbers ADB 3789 and ADB 3721 accompanied the Zim1 by road via Nyamapanda and Mwanza borders to Malawi.
A senior Sadc official said Mugabe’s move surprised all members of the regional grouping because all logistics were in place with security on high alert.
“Sadc leaders are still shocked that Mugabe brought his own official vehicle when all logistics were in place,” the official said.
“The issue has been worsened by the fact that he did not send any message to alert the organising team that he would not require the Sadc hired vehicle.”
Security aides were surprised at Kamuzu International Airport when Mugabe was led by his chief of protocol to his personal vehicle instead of the Sadc hired one.
“Security aides had to rush and label Mugabe’s vehicle to cover the Zim1 number plate.” the official said.
Mugabe took a swipe at the West for supporting the regime change agenda and for condemning the just-ended peaceful elections.
“The West wants to think for us and take decisions for us and give us direction,” Mugabe said.
COMMENTS
So, this paranoid octogenarian actually believes if the west wanted him dead he would still be alive today? How pathetic. One has to feel sorry for a man with delusions of grander. Someone needs to give Bob a reality check.
He is still to notice that in the larger scheme of things he is a nonentity. Just because he thinks and dreams about ranting and raving against Western leaders, he is yet to notice they mention him only in passing because they are busy eith the more important issues of running their countries for the benefit of their people. It’s as if he is not even aware that Blair and Bush are no longer in power.
He doesn’t. Blair is still the boogeyman to Bob. He can’t exist without having someone else to blame his problems on.
There is no paranoia here. There is a lot of stake in President Mugabe. All Zimbabwe is waiting and looking forward to his leadership skills. We are a very blessed country that we have such a treasure in him, Jongwe.
Yeah, best of luck with that. You’re going to need it.
Murairwa we ere indeed so blessed that Zimbabweans still die of medieval diseases such as cholera and typhoid and hold the world’s record on unemployment.
Indeed gukurahundi and murambatsvina were a blessing, wouldn’t you say Murairwa?
whos record of unemploymeng. wch country hav u been to and there is no unemployment. so whags special abt zim that it musnt have unemployment
HANDS UP ALL THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO
THOSE GOOD OLD ” SMITHY DAYS” WHEN WE HAD WORK,
FOOD AND HAPPINESS
And be treated like animals with the same contempt that we are seeing your South African relatives treating the blacks? To never be able to travel in our own country without paperwork? No way, Whitey!
The CIA has been in the assassination business since 1947. Overthrowing governments and destabilizing nations from Madagascar to Bolivia, not to mention a budget more than 8 times that of Zimbabwe. If ”the west” really wanted this beloved and revered leader of ours gone, there really is nothing anyone on this continent can do to stop them. So paranoid are these people they jump at the first sight of their own shadows.
you think the CIA is run by angels who cant fail. they failed a lot of times.
Really, if the West wanted Mugabe dead, he would be dead by now, as simple as that. He is running away from his own shadows because he knows that even his own people have systematically rejected him since 2002, he doesn’t know who is friends are anymore, a typical case of paranoid schizophrenia!