Maravi

(HERALD) Be vigilant: President

Be vigilant: President
By Sydney Kawadza

ZIMBABWEANS should remain vigilant and thwart evil machinations by a Western world that still believes it has the right to effect illegal regime change in the country, President Mugabe has said.

Speaking at the burial of Retired Major Gordon Tapson Sibanda at the National Heroes’ Acre yesterday, President Mugabe said Britain, the United States and their allies — who have launched an onslaught to forcibly depose the Government — should not be allowed to divide the people.

"We are at that critical juncture when the country is under siege from its enemies who foolishly believe that Government is about to fall.

"Lately, we have heard increasing voices from the West, particularly Britain and America, advocating the removal of the Government of Zimbabwe by unconstitutional means, including the use of military force," President Mugabe said.

This was in reference to statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, who recently said Washington would not recognise any Government that included President Mugabe.

"The same forces who pretend to be the masters of democracy are now guilty of invalidity and unconstitutionality.

"Who are they to decide who should or should not be included in an inclusive Government? We realise that these are the last kicks of a dying horse. We obviously are not going to pay attention to a sunset administration," he said.

President Mugabe said the agreement signed between Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC did not include the outgoing US president who should keep his "undeserved, irrelevant and stupid’" remarks to himself. Zimbabwe’s fate, he said, lies in the hands of Zimbabweans who have the sole right to shape and champion their destiny.

He added that Government was working flat out to turn around the fortunes of the economy.

"That is why, as Government, we are working on another blueprint economic turnaround plan which takes cognisance of the abnormal times we are going through," he said.

Rtd Maj Sibanda’s burial came a day after Zimbabwe commemorated Unity Day, an occasion Cde Mugabe said should remind the country of the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s untiring efforts to preserve and defend national unity at all costs.

"The emergence, therefore, of dissident voices claiming to revive Zapu must be castigated and dismissed with the contempt they deserve," President Mugabe said.

A small group of marginal politicians has, over the past few weeks, been claiming it was relaunching PF-Zapu. President Mugabe, however, is on record as saying the real PF-Zapu is the one in unity with Zanu in the new Zanu-PF.

President Mugabe described people behind the so-called Zapu revival as counter-revolutionaries and opportunists "seeking to fulfil selfish personal ambitions at the expense of the nation".

"They are willing tools of the West being used to undermine the country’s sovereignty and independence through the creation of bogus political parties that are meant to weaken the constituency base of the ruling party, Zanu-PF, and engineer its political demise," he said.

President Mugabe paid tribute to the late Rtd Maj Sibanda for heeding the call for unity in the country at independence as the only way to ensure the survival of newly-won freedom.

"He believed in work, and in deed, that united we stood, while divided we provided the enemy with an opportunity to recolonise us again.

"Indeed, it is a virtue of a united Zimbabwe that has, time and again, defeated the machinations of our detractors. It is the discipline of our law enforcement agents across the board that has foiled many an attempt to cripple or paralyse our independence," he said.

He described Rtd Maj Sibanda as a patriotic revolutionary who never looked back and was driven by the conviction to ensure that national independence was safeguarded and defended.

Efforts to recolonise Zimbabwe, President Mugabe said, continued to this day and the challenge for Zimbabweans was to serve the nation in the same way Rtd Maj Sibanda did — never seeking personal glory but driven by "unyielding patriotism, real commitment and real revolutionary zeal to defend the country in the face of continued attacks from the enemy".

"Can we match that selflessness, that total given-ness to put country first, even in the face of attempts by our detractors to divide us?"

President Mugabe said the ruling Zanu-PF Politburo in conferring Rtd Maj Sibanda national hero status had recognised his revolutionary contributions, before, during and after the liberation struggle.

Labels: NEOCOLONIALISM

posted by MrK @ 12:45 PM