Our friends are here, Bob tells ‘evil’ West

via Our friends are here, Bob tells ‘evil’ West 16/09/2014

“OUR greatest friends are here”, President Robert told the West Tuesday as he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who was in Zimbabwe to commission a US$3 billion platinum mining project – the largest single foreign investment in the country.

Mugabe met Lavrov at his Zvimba rural home and the Russian diplomat, clearly aware of his host’s abiding vanities, massaged Mugabe’s ego by calling him “a legend, a historical figure”.

Indeed, it has been a good couple of weeks for Mugabe. The visit by a top Russian minister came after the Zimbabwean leader returned from China where he was assured of funding for massive infrastructure development projects he hopes will help fire the country’s struggling economy.

Speaking at a press briefing with Lavrov Tuesday, Mugabe said: “This act (platinum deal) we say to our people, our greatest friends here they are. Yesterday, I was in Beijing, again there to get our greatest friends to work with us today.

“These are the two main pillars of support of our revolution yesterday and they remain the two pillars of our support in international law and so we say to them Great thanks for standing with us in perpetuity …”

The Zanu PF leader has been actively courting China and, now Russia, both key supporters of the country’s liberation struggle after falling out with former admirers and financial backers in the West.

Zimbabwe was  in 2002 slapped with devastating sanctions by the West allegedly over concerns about electoral fraud and human rights abuses, allegations denied by Mugabe who insists the measures were aimed at forcing him out of power because of his controversial land reforms.

The sanctions helped trigger a decade-long economic crisis and came close to forcing Mugabe out of power in 2008 when he lost the first round of the presidential ballot.

The Zanu PF leader then claimed the second round but by means most foul according to the opposition only to be forced into a power-sharing arrangement by regional leaders.

On Tuesday Mugabe again condemned the strictures after his meeting with Lavrov whose country has also been targeted with sanctions by western countries over its alleged involvement in strife-torn neighbouring Ukraine.

Said Mugabe: “Take back to President Putin that we feel with him that those imposing sanctions on him have done so on us …

“That these are the evil men of our world those who go and act in defiance of international law, sanctions never approved by the UN and those falling on the Russian Federation today have not been approved by the UN and those which yesterday were imposed on us and remain on us were never approved by the UN.

“They are the works of evil men of our world who are defiant of international law and morality of international law. We stand together we will fall together.”

Former RBZ chief, and adviser to the veteran leader, Gideon Gono, indicated ahead of last year’s elections that economic recovery would need a decisive victor in the crucial vote.

Mugabe and Zanu PF delivered a landslide triumph but the economic bounce Gono suggested would follow has not transpired. Instead, companies have been closing down by the hundreds, throwing thousands onto the already huge jobless pile.

And the opposition has been quick to remind Zimbabweans that Mugabe promised them two million new jobs while campaigning last year. They also point out that the Zanu PF government’s ZimAsset economic blueprint remains stalled because no one will provide the US$27 billion needed to finance it.

Speaking after his return from China, Mugabe said he had secured funding for massive projects that would help create thousands of jobs.

“These projects will be coming … (they) can employ our young people from school boys and girls. You will be seeing them; but of course things don’t just  become shining overnight,” he said.

The veteran leader also claimed that Western countries were following the deals between China and Harare with keen interest and looking to re-engage with Harare.

“I can assure you that Britain, Europe and America are already starting to get worried that they have been replaced by China.” he said.