Maravi

Mugabe condones corruption, charges Makoni

Mugabe condones corruption, charges Makoni
By George Chellah, Kingsley Kaswende and Amos Malupenga in Chin
Wednesday March 26, 2008 [03:01]

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe condones corruption, independent presidential candidate Dr Simba Makoni has said. And Dr Makoni (right) said President Mugabe and his team had run out of ideas to transform Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, pockets of people attending Dr Makoni's rally walked away in protest against his attacks on MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Addressing a public rally at Chinohyi stadium on Monday, Dr Makoni accused President Mugabe's government of corruption and mismanaging the country.

"Mugabe condones corruption and those who are corrupt within the government are left Scott-free and yet the managers of Zimphos (Fertilizer Company) are arrested for increasing the prices," Dr Makoni said. "But those who steal from national coffers are not arrested."

Dr Makoni, a former finance minister and ZANU-PF politburo member, said President Mugabe was not telling people the truth about him.

"Mugabe is saying Makoni will take this country to Britain and the Americans. The fist Mugabe's trademark symbol has destroyed this country," said Dr Makoni in apparent reference to President Mugabe's campaign posters, where he appears with a wrenched fist.

"Up to 2002, I was telling them that the path you are following is not being helpful to the country. Until February, I said no, we can't continue to plunder the nation’s resources that are why I am here today."

Dr Makoni urged Zimbabweans to dismiss President Mugabe's persistent lies about him.
"Don't listen to his lies that I was sent by the British and the Americans. An old man is not even ashamed of telling lies about me," Dr Makoni said.
"Those who are attending my rallies are the bigwigs. All these other bigwigs they talk about who are backing me are just a creation of the media."

Dr Makoni said his movement's hope was to have Zimbabwe working again.
"Let's get Zimbabwe working again. Zimbabwe is not functioning but we are prepared to get it working. They have messed up the education system because they have taken their children abroad to Australia, Britain and Malaysia," Dr Makoni said. "They have a problem with Blair (former British Prime Minister) but why do they have children in Britain? We want their children to be here in local schools."

Dr Makoni also bemoaned the poor health system in country.
"They cannot conduct operations at Parirenyatwa Hospital, the largest referral hospital in the country. But when they get sick they go to South Africa's Morningside Clinic, Malaysia and China for acupuncture and then they are saying that Zimbabwe is already working," Dr Makoni said.
Dr Makoni said President Mugabe and his team have run out of ideas to transform Zimbabwe.

"Even if Mugabe says he has 13 degrees and he is surrounded by those with degrees and PhDs, they have run out of ideas to transform this country. Recently there was a big cake in Beitbridge at his birthday celebrations and yet our own National Food (parastatal company) no longer produces flour. Our women cannot find flour to bake," Dr Makoni said. "He went to Beitbridge by chopper just to go and cut a cake and yet here there are potholes. When he is up there, he mistakes potholes for rivers. That money for the birthday celebrations would have been used on books, schools and other things."

Dr Makoni also criticized the recent donations President Mugabe was making to various institutions in the country such as schools and hospitals.
"He is donating computers even where there is no electricity as if people will be using firewood," Dr Makoni said.

Dr Makoni condemned the manner in which the public media were covering presidential candidates for this Saturday's elections.

"The editors are afraid to show the crowds because they are scared that the old man will have a heart attack. Editors please don't cheat the people," he said.

He said voting for President Mugabe or MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai was still trouble for Zimbabwe.

"Morgan also has his own lies. He is saying don't vote for Simba because he was sent by Mugabe. Morgan thinks that he has the right to rule this country just because he was beaten by the police and sustained a swollen face. That does not give him the right to rule this country, it's a lie," said Dr Makoni.

And pockets of people in attendance walked away in protest against Dr Makoni's attacks on Morgan Tsvangirai.

Dr Makoni told the 'protestors' that they were free to leave his rally except they needed to observe silence.

He told them that even if they were leaving, they would meet with him on March 29 during elections.

The rally was largely attended by children and teenagers.

Labels: MDC, SIMBA MAKONI

posted by MrK @ 3:36 AM