Maravi

I feel very fit, upbeat and hungry - Mugabe

I feel very fit, upbeat and hungry - Mugabe
By George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende
Saturday June 28, 2008 [04:00]

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday said he felt very fit, optimistic, upbeat and hungry after casting his vote. Speaking to journalists at Mhofu Primary School, in Harare's high-density suburb of Highfield where he cast his vote, President Mugabe - who was accompanied by first lady Grace and the family - expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious from the presidential runoff that had been boycotted by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
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"I feel very fit, optimistic,upbeat and hungry," President Mugabe said before leaving the polling station at around 11:00 hours.

The turnout in most urban polling stations was very low in the election in which many urban voters warned the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to expect many spoilt ballots.

Polling stations opened at 06:00 hours but some that are located in central Harare had not recorded a single voter by 08:00 hours. There were, however, sizeable queues in high density suburbs such as Mbare and Chitungwiza.

The opposition MDC, which withdrew from the race last Sunday because the prevailing conditions are not conducive for a free and fair election, has its strongholds in many urban areas around Zimbabwe.

The United Nations, SADC and other African leaders had called for the election, whose preparation was marred with widespread violence, to be postponed but President Mugabe was defiant, saying the election proceeded according to Zimbabwean law.

Some voters spoken to said Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should expect a lot of spoilt ballots especially in urban areas.

They said they had been forced to vote because rumours circulating were that ZANU-PF activists would be moving around on Saturday checking people's fingers for the indelible ink, which is the evidence of one having participated in the voting.

"Without the ink they will beat you up," said Shingi Matesa, who cast his vote at Avondale Junior School polling station. "This was a protest vote. I went to vote but I voted for nothing. ZEC and Mugabe should expect to spend sometime counting spoilt ballots."

Another voter, Tiny Hurungwe, said she had gone to cast her vote because she wanted to be safe.

"I just crossed out the whole ballot paper," she said.

And the MDC urged its supporters to spoil the ballot once they reached the polling booth.

MDC spokersperson Nelson Chamisa told The Post yesterday that the ruling ZANU-PF was planning to deploy fake MDC polling agents to give an impression that MDC is participating "in this sham in a desperate bid to secure some semblance of legitimacy in the so-called runoff poll".

"As MDC, we have since made it clear that we will not be participating in tomorrow's circus. The conditions on the ground are not conducive to the conduct of free and fair elections. The region, the United Nations and the international community, have also made it clear that what is going to happen tomorrow is a sham," Chamisa said.

He said the SADC summit held in Swaziland last Wednesday made it clear that the conditions in Zimbabwe were not conducive for a free and fair election.

And first lady Grace Mugabe has said MDC leader Tsvangirai pulled out of yesterday's presidential runoff because he was afraid of defeat.

And President Mugabe said ZANU-PF would not be arrogant but magnanimous if it emerges victorious in the presidential runoff polls.

Addressing a public rally in Harare on Thursday, Grace criticised Tsvangirai for withdrawing from the run-off election.

"Tsvangirai wrote to the Zimbabwe Election Commission saying that Mugabe's wife has threatened war against me if I win. With his big cheeks, how can I threaten him as a woman? He is just afraid of defeat," she said.

Grace said she had confidence in her husband because he was not a coward.
"Tsvangirai has a house in South Africa but President Mugabe hasn't got one. So is he the person you can vote for?" Grace asked. "Even if I am given a trillion US dollars as Mugabe's exit package, I will not accept it. I do not mind your trillion US dollars."
Grace said though things in the country were difficult, Zimbabweans could not afford to sell their country.

"This is our country and the resources are ours. The country is ours even if they say whatever they want. We have developed a thick skin," said Grace.

And President Mugabe said Zimbabweans would resolve their differences whilst warning that Britain should not set the terms for discussions.

"We will remain open to discussions. If there are any proposals that they would want to make to us, we will listen to those proposals. The moment the outside world would start dictating to us, we will not proceed. We will not be dictated to even by the AU African Union," he said.

President Mugabe further condemned calls for the cancellation of elections, saying his government was conducting elections in accordance with the constitutional demands.

"We hear voices coming that we should cancel the elections, what stupidity is that? No party will go into oblivion after the elections. The MDC have more seats in Parliament than us. So there is a role they will play in Parliament," President Mugabe said.

"They are saying we must do what they did in Kenya. Kenya is Kenya and Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe. Victory by us does not mean death for the MDC. If we emerge victorious, we will not be arrogant. We will be magnanimous," he said.

President Mugabe urged the British government to keep quiet on the Zimbabwean situation.

"The British have been hypocritical, devilish and extremely evil. They have avoided discussing the land issue. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is saying nonsensical things, in some cases much more idiotic than former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was. I pity the Americans. I pity Mr Bush because this fight is not theirs.

Whether we win or lose, the land will not go back. If MDC, in case of course, wins and attempts to take the land, they are asking for war," President Mugabe said. "We have no problem with the Queen and the British people but we have a problem with Number 10 Downing Street.

The demons in Number 10 Downing Street must be exorcised by someone; they need a priest. Unfortunately, the Archbishop of Canterbury who is supposed to do that has lost his Christ because he is supporting gays and so he cannot exorcise Downing Street."
President Mugabe warned MDC leaders against issuing treasonable statements.

"For MDC to call for military action here, which the leader of opposition is denying to have said, that is treason. Let them stop making these irresponsible statements that will bring trouble," said President Mugabe.

Labels: ELECTIONS, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 4:46 AM