(HERALD) Britain, US are liars: President

Britain, US are liars: President
By Cletus Mushanawani, Sydney Kawadza and Takunda

BRITAIN, America and their allies are lying to the world about Zimbabwe to try and build an atmosphere to justify their intervention, President Mugabe has said. Addressing more than 15 000 people at Gaza Stadium in Chipinge yesterday, President Mugabe said: "Britain and her allies are telling a lot of lies about Zimbabwe, saying a lot of people are dying. These are all lies because they want to build a situation to justify their intervention in Zimbabwe.

"Zvose zvavari kutaura manyepo chetechete. Zvekunyepa izvi vari kuzviudzwa naTsvangirai. Isu tagara tisina bopoto nemunhu kunze kweiri raunzwa naTsvangirai."

He urged Zimbabweans to safeguard the country’s sovereignty by voting for him in Friday’s presidential run-off since MDC-T was a creation of the West.

"Ko nhaka yedu ndeipi isu takavhotera vanhu vanoda kudzosera ivhu kuvarungu? Ndinofunga kuti makaona varungu vachidzoka mushure memaelections aMarch 29, paiti MDC tahwina tahwina! VanaBennett vakanga vatomirira kudzoka," said President Mugabe.

On grain shortages, the President said the Government had contracted haulage trucks to help the National Railways of Zimbabwe to transport maize from South Africa to Zimbabwe.

"Taona kuti kudya kushoma, takatenga mathousands of tonnes of maize. We realised that we could not bring all the maize using wagons since the same wagons are also used to transport other goods to Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries. Since South Africa is not that far, we contracted haulage trucks to help in bringing the maize home. Very soon, you will see improved deliveries of maize in all the areas," he said.

President Mugabe urged farmers to take advantage of the ongoing mechanisation programme to acquire all the necessary implements for them to improve their productivity.

Turning to the ever-increasing prices of basic commodities, President Mugabe said as Government, they had decided to supply businesspeople with basic commodities that would be sold to consumers at gazetted prices.

"This is not an election gimmick. We are now buying goods to stock in People’s Shops. We started with the provision of buses to address the transport shortages and now we are moving to stocking of shops. We will increase the buses if they are not enough. Beneficiaries of these basic commodities should charge gazetted prices. We want to see where those businesses hiking prices will sell their commodities. Most of the businesses are foreign-owned, especially by the British. They are continuously hiking prices because they are pushing for regime change.

"Izvi vari kuzviitira kuti zvinhu zvikakurwadzai, mopandukira Hurumende yenyu movhotera MDC. Asi imi sevanhu vanoziva zvinangwa negwara reZanu-PF zvisinei nekurwadziwa kwamunenge maitwa, kunyangwe nzara yakurumai sei moramba makabatirira pamusangano venyu.

"Vatungamiriri venyu vanofanira kusupervisor maPeople’s Shops nekuti hatidi kunzwa kuti zvinhu zvavakutengeswa nemukoto. Tinokusungai tokuisai mumajeri mosiya madzimai enyu achichema voti VaMugabe vakashata," he said.

He said the Government would provide generators to small towns like Chipinge, Kadoma and Chegutu to help in supplying power to households and factories in the event of Zesa load- shedding.

He reminded those present that Chipinge provided most of the cadres who fought in the liberation struggle like the late national hero, Cde William Ndangana.

"Pasarudzo dzakapfuura vanhu vakawanda havana kuenda kunovhota. Vhoti yenyu yakadzikira ndosaka takakundwa munzvimbo zhinji dzeManicaland. Imi voye honai nhamo yamakatipa, honai zvamanga maita nyika. Yakanga yatsvedza, ndinoda kutenda midzimu yedu yakazotinunura."

The First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, also addressed the same gathering and urged beneficiaries of the basic commodities to use the profits from the sale of these commodities wisely.

"Hatidi kuti mawana mari iyoyo mohire maluxury coaches. Maluxury coaches, ndivo madzimai aya anofamba famba," she said.

In Buhera, Cde Mugabe said Government was investigating some non-governmental organisations for the political role they played in the run-up to the March 29 harmonised elections.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Muzombokomba Business Centre in Buhera South, President Mugabe said NGOs should desist from politics.

"MaNGOs aifamba achipa vanhu mari nekudya achiti zvirikubva kuMDC. Zvinotakazvidzivisa kuti hazviende kuvanhu vedu. Kana vachida kupa rubatsiro ngavape nenzira yekubatsira. Tave kuvaongorora ndivo vakakonzera kuti imi mupidigudze pfungwa," he said.

Cde Mugabe blasted some businesses for pushing the regime change agenda by deliberately increasing prices despite all the support they were getting from Government.

"Mabusinesses ndeemaBritish, havadi kuti zvinhu zvinake. Tichaatora after maelections," he said.

He later officially opened one such shop funded by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe under the Basic Commodities Supply Side Intervention facility at Muzokomba Business Centre.

In the shop a 2kg packet of sugar was selling for $625 million, 2kg packet of rice at $680 million

and a kilogramme of fine salt $90 million.

Cde Mugabe gave ploughs, harrows, scotchcarts, grinding mills and two buses to the people of Buhera.

President Mugabe condemned violence and urged the party to campaign peacefully.

"Hatidi isu kuti tinzi hanzi tirikurova vanhu, ngatiitei nekunzwisisa kwedu, zvaanaTsvangirai kwete," he said.

He urged the people of Buhera to vote for him on Friday and condemn Tsvangirai, an agent of the imperialists bent of reversing the gains of the liberation struggle.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Masvosva Business Centre in Makoni West later during the day, Cde Mugabe said people should ensure an emphatic victory for the ruling party in memory of those who perished during the liberation struggle.

He said many sons and daughters from Manicaland died during the struggle and people in the province should not allow the country to be recolonised.

"Tinevamwe vedu vakaita saVanaChitepo vakasiya mabasa avo kuti vatungamirire chimurenga chakaunza rusununguko muno munyika toshaya kuyeuka kuti tine vana ava vakatisiyira nyika. Mavhotero edu orega kuyeuka magamba akafira nyika nehondo yakakosha yakarwiwa munyika muno?

"Hatimbofa takatengesa nyika ino hatiisiye ichitorwa nemaBritish nemaAmericans vakamirirwa neMDC ndokusaka takasadharara, tonzi tadududza tabuda muZanu-PF tichinyengerwa netumaNGO. Pamwe vana vechidiki hatina kuvadzidzisa zvakakwana pamusoro pehondo yakaunza rusununguko."

Cde Mugabe said many people did not vote for Zanu-PF because of various reasons including challenges being experienced while some were fooled by NGOs working in cahoots with the MDC-T.

He urged Zanu-PF supporters to mobilise each other for an emphatic victory on June 27 to safeguard the country’s heritage.

"We know some of you did not vote on March 29 but if you do not vote this time the MDC would win this election even in their small numbers. Tinoziva vamwe vedu vakanyengerwa nemaNGO, vamwe nekurwadziwa nezvinotinetsa, nekushaya tushuga, tusauti, mari yeschool fees nezvakadaro vakati tomboyedzawo chibato ichi cheMDC. Hazviedzwe izvi! Nhaka haiedzwe iyi!"

He, however, said Government was aware of such challenges but people should know that this is being caused by illegal sanctions imposed by the British, Americans and their Western allies.

President Mugabe urged people in Makoni West to put aside their differences and work for the party’s victory.

"Tinoziva zvose zvamakasangana nazvo tisati tapinda mumaelections emunaMarch, kusawirirana pakati penyu asi izvi zvese zvaikonzerwa namakwikwi ataiita, saka ngatichibatanayi tishande pamwechete nekuti hondo ikauya muchitukana munopera mose.

"Tinotenda kuti hatina kuzoyerera ngatichibatana pasina ruvengo tivhotere Zanu-PF. Vanhu vakavhotera ini vanenge vavhotera musangano sezvo ndakamirira musangano. Ini ndikaruza maelections Zanu-PF inenge yaruza, kudonhedzwa nechamatama zvichireva kuti haichakwanisa kuvaka Hurumende."

He said preparations for the forthcoming agricultural season were at an advanced stage and Government would continue to empower the farmers through the agricultural mechanisation programme.

He distributed 12 buses and two hammer mills to the community, 50 ploughs and 50 harrows to traditional leaders.

A People’s Shop with a variety of basic commodities was also opened at the business centre.