Maravi

Mugabe to form Cabinet without opposition MDC

Mugabe to form Cabinet without opposition MDC
By George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Thursday August 28, 2008 [04:01]

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has said he will proceed to set up a new Cabinet without the opposition MDC. And President Mugabe said no SADC country should dictate what others should do and that he preferred face-to-face criticism. During a luncheon to mark the official opening of the seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe, President Mugabe said he would be announcing a new Cabinet soon.

"We shall soon be setting up a government. The MDC does not want to come in apparently.

This time they have been promised by the British that sanctions would be more devastating, that in six months time the government will collapse," President Mugabe said. "I do not know when that day will come. I wish Tsvangirai well on that day."

President Mugabe said he would appoint Cabinet ministers who could manage the business of the people. However, he condemned some members of his own outgoing Cabinet.
"This Cabinet that I had was the worst in history. They are unreliable but not all of them," he said.

He said some leaders were interested more in personal gain.
President Mugabe said his party had lost some votes in the March 29 harmonised elections because some members were working against the party.

"Let's be united. Let's not be destroyers of our party. We have destroyed part of it. Now that we have survived, let us ensure the party is strengthened," he said.

He also condemned corrupt leaders, saying he was receiving reports that some leaders were diverting maize meant for the people to the black market.

"The people are suffering and you want to exploit the poverty of the people. Let us police each other," President Mugabe said.

On international relations, President Mugabe said the manner in which Zimbabwe relates to its neighbours should be reciprocated.
President Mugabe called on the need for the spirit of Southern African Development Community (SADC) to be kept alive.

He said the British and the US had visited all SADC heads of state to influence them to speak bad about Zimbabwe. President Mugabe explained that Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika was the only leader who had come out in the open telling him of the US and British machinations to denounce Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean police have arrested four opposition MDC members of parliament whom they say have been on the police wanted list for alleged political crimes.

Chief police spokesman assistant commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said besides Eliah Jembere of Epworth, who was arrested at the Parliament of Zimbabwe Building on Monday just before the swearing-in ceremony, four others were arrested at a Harare hotel on Tuesday afternoon.

Bvudzijena said Jembere was arrested for a rape case while the others were taken in on allegations ranging from violence to causing disaffection among security forces.

"The latest arrests are of Pearson Mungofa, the MP for Highfield East, Bednoe Nyaunde the MP for Bindura South, Mathew Mathias Mlambo the MP for Chipinge East and Trevor Saruwaka the MP for Mutasa Central," Bvudzijena said.

He said Mungofa was arrested at about 18:30 hours on Monday for causing disaffection among the police and defence forces.

Nyaunde was arrested for attempted murder and contravening the firearms Act.
He committed the alleged offences in the run-up to the presidential runoff election.

Mlambo was being charged with inciting political violence in Chipinge East at Daisyhill during the height of the political violence.
Bvudzijena said Saruwaka was arrested for allegedly raping a 17-year-old relative in Yeovill, Mutare last week.

Labels: MDC, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 6:14 AM