via Asking for help, Sir | The Zimbabwean. 27 August 2014 by Jera
President Mugabe and Grace have travelled to China where they are expected to mouth those words that are synonymous with Harare’s many street beggars – ‘asking for help sir.’ It is just as well that Mugabe does not have to go through the metal detectors at the airport. Otherwise the steel begging bowl concealed under his jacket might have set off the alarm.
Attempting to refute speculation about Mugabe’s begging mission, presidential spokesman George Charamba, who often ties himself in knots with his implausible denials, this time rambled on about ‘we are looking at ourselves as the investors,’ which sounds as strange as a suspect in handcuffs saying he is the policeman.
If we were the financiers – and not China – then why are we troubling a man in his old age with a 10,800 kilometre flight to Beijing? Charamba can phrase it any way he wants but begging by any name is still exactly that. The president’s spin man is attempting to save his boss’ face because only yesterday Mugabe declared that Sadc should be self-reliant and not depend on external funds. During his Sadc speech about self-sufficiency, Mugabe must have forgotten that the begging trip to China was next on his diary.
It is also possible that Mugabe prefers to keep his begging a secret because there is another rumour doing the rounds. After refusing to fund ZimAsset, it is likely that any funding from China will mean mortgaging the country’s minerals. This would leave the Zanu (PF) government looking silly, after their worn out rhetoric about ‘sovereignty.’
While Mugabe is busy with the task of grovelling in China, his vast entourage – which includes ministers, the first lady and his third born – Chatunga – will amuse themselves with shopping, at a time when government cannot afford to pay salaries or school fees for disadvantaged children.
Till next week, my pen is capped. Jerà Twitter @JeraZW
COMMENTS
If we were the financiers – and not China – then why are we troubling a man in his old age with a 10,800 kilometre flight to Beijing? i think probably because our grace likes to shop a bit!
not a bit until she drops!
But Charamba is most likely dead honest/correct. Yes, Zimbabwe as a country is broke but the First Family is among the richest in the world (ko handiti ndiko kwaenda mari yenyika zhinji zhinji here ikoko??).
So, yes VaMugabe nemhuri is busy shopping for more mansions and/or even farms in China. Do you think Mugabe and his family are ever short of money??
Urikurashika papiko iwe. I accept that for a 1st Charamba ataura chokwadi; which is: ‘VaMUGABE VAENDA KUNOSINA MA INVESTMENT DEALS EMHURI YAVO’. Kwete e Zimbabwe ba; the country is broke, but VaMugabe naMai Mugabe Vane Zvinhu Zvavo.
Saka chinotadza kunzisisika ipapo chii? Sei ko muchida kungoramba zvose zvose. Is it a lie that there is too much wealth in ZIm but the wealth is now, by design, in the hands of ‘ A FEW’?
So would anyone in his/her same mood think GUSHUNGO FAMILY is not part of the FEW?
Musashandisa rocket science padzisingadiwi mhani? Zviri pachena izvi. Thnx Cde Charamba for being truthful today.
in case you 4 get the truth I am referring to: ‘Hanzi vaMugabe & Family have gone to sign THEIR investment deals in China’. Hard truth; yanga yakaipeyi???
Give him enough time, clock is ticking. Hakuna zuva risingasvikiukwekugu uyu ashumgurudza vanhu vari kugarauzimbabwe.
The usual duplicity. Not only did he advise Africa to be self-sufficient, he advised South Africa to move resource ownership away from white people when in his country he is negotiating them away to China.
One thing is for sure The entourage will bring back bags of shopping for the ZPF thieves and their families. One can only hope the Chinese shops have clothes and shoes for very large women with a taste for garish colours and men with fat bellies.
When your cows have been out with a foolish herdboy you can’t expect much more.