Maravi

ZANU-PF must fight for its survival in runoff, says Mugabe

ZANU-PF must fight for its survival in runoff, says Mugabe
By George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Tuesday May 27, 2008 [04:00]

ZANU-PF must fight for its survival in the presidential runoff, President Robert Mugabe has said. And President Mugabe threatened to expel US Ambassador James McGee if he continued to meddle in Zimbabwe's domestic affairs. During the launch of his presidential runoff campaign at the party headquarters on Sunday, President Mugabe urged ZANU-PF supporters to gear up for a formidable struggle.

“We know the others are helped with lots of funds from imperialists abroad. But we say our own strength lies in the support of our people. Every Zimbabwean shares the sovereignty we talk about. National sovereignty is the sovereignty of the people of Zimbabwe and that must be a source of pride each individual must feel," President Mugabe said.

"We should fight for it and die for it. Each and every one of us must fight for our humanity and survival. When all is said and done you are fighting for your Zimbabwe and the message we must send abroad is 'please leave us alone'.'"
He said Zimbabwe would never be America or Britain hence the need to safeguard its sovereignty.

"Zimbabwe is my only country, I have no other. I get my food and riches from Zimbabwe. Leave me to be king of my forest, king of my own lions, mountains and rivers. Please leave me to be king of my own country.

Everybody should be able to say that," President Mugabe said. "Let that message cut through your vote. Raise a vote that will not be doubted by anyone and then we can sing our song that 'Zimbabwe will never be a colony again'."

President Mugabe urged ZANU-PF supporters not to engage in violent activities during the runoff.

"We don't like violence. But if they come for you don't just stand, you have to defend yourself because they will kill you. We want MDC to stop their violent campaign of torching houses.

We want the runoff to be peaceful as the previous election," he said.
President Mugabe also castigated US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer's conduct after the March 29 elections.

"You saw the joy the British and Americans had when the election results where announced. As if we are an extension of Britain or America. You saw some American girl trotting around like a prostitute and declaring that MDC has won.

You saw the joy of the white world and you saw how saddened some of our neighbours were. They had used money, they had used all kinds of sweets," President Mugabe said.

"We had sellouts in our midst, Simba Makoni went, Dumiso Dabengwa also went. Where are they going, I ask?

These are the things that are killing us and let it not happen again. The divisions must go... If brothers are quarreling in the house and one brother runs and joins an enemy, he becomes the greatest traitor of all. He has betrayed the family tree and the family's future."

President Mugabe threatened to expel Ambassador McGee for interfering in Zimbabwe's internal political matters.

"He says he fought in Vietnam, but fighting in Vietnam does not give him the right to interfere in our domestic affairs. As tall as he is, if he continues to do that I will kick him out of the country.

We give no orders to anyone in America," President Mugabe said. "We have an Ambassador in Washington; he obeys the rules in Washington...because we have been kindhearted some Ambassadors think they can rule this country for us and behave as they like. I am just waiting to see if he makes one more step wrong. He will get out. This is Zimbabwe, it's not an extension of America."

Ambassador McGee was recently given a first warning by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for circumventing diplomatic protocol after he, with other Western diplomats, visited MDC victims of political violence.

The authorities said Ambassador McGee breached the 40-kilometre radius outside Harare and went as far as Glendale near Bindura, without making prior arrangements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as required.

They also said he spent about an hour arguing with police officers manning a roadblock who had stopped his convoy to establish whether the government was aware of his whereabouts.

The authorities have accused Ambassador McGee of being on a spirited campaign to demonise the government ahead of the presidential election run-off.

Labels: ELECTIONS, MUGABE, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 3:38 AM