Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Mugabe is receptive and open to persuasion: Biti

Mugabe is receptive and open to persuasion: Biti
Samantha Chidzero
Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:02:00 +0000

FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti says he has no problem with President Mugabe and that he finds him a very receptive person that is open to persuasion.

Speaking during an interview with Britain's Monocle Magazine, Biti says because President Mugabe is Head of State and Government, he has to consult him on key issues.

The statement by the finance minister puts paid to speculation that there is an acrimonious working relationship in the inclusive Government.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has on several occassions said that he has a "good working relationship" with President Mugabe, much to the chagrin of the critics of the inclusive Government.

Asked what his relationship with the president was like, finance minister Biti says: "He’s the President of the country so on key issues you have to go to him... I’ve no problem with him. I find him very receptive."

Biti added that "He listens. We debate. He has got a mind. It’s refreshing to go there and argue a case. He is open to persuasion."

In the interview, Biti says that he was “confident that he can make a difference” in the inclusive Government.

The minister also reiterated that President Mugabe gets paid a meagre salary of USD300. Asked how much he was getting paid, Biti said "It was US$100 [a month] until June."

"I think it’s now . . . [turning to his permanent secretary]. How much do you give me? US$150. I’m eating into my savings from 18 years as a lawyer."

Biti's statement, where he praises the veteran president, is not the first.

In March last year, the finance minister told mourners gathered at the funeral of Mrs Susan Tsvangirai that he was "beginnning to understand" President Mugabe.

At that occassion, he thanked the president for a moving "fatherly" speech he gave at a service held at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Harare in memory of the Prime Minister's wife.

“I ... want to thank His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe. I think many of us are transiting to understand him better," said Biti at the time.

"I think yesterday’s speech he spoke not like a politician but a father. We all saw a part in him, that he is also a human being like us,” added Biti in reference to a speech made by President Mugabe at the time.

In the Monocle interview Biti also revealed that being minister of finance was not as easy as he had first anticipated.

"I ran an extremely busy law practice but it’s nothing compared to this. This job is not academic."

Biti added: "You have to be a thug. Once you think that something is right then you must have the courage of pushing it through. You have to have the capacity to fight. Every inch is a fight."

Labels: MUGABE, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 5:20 AM