This article was written by Our reporter on 19 July, at 20 : 43 PM
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has urged Zimbabweans to be united and castigated those who want to cheat the electorate by chanting cheap tribal politics saying they have no space in the country’s political discourse come July 31.
Addressing thousands of supporters gathered at Somhlolo Stadium in Lupane, Matabeleland North for a star rally, President Mugabe said: “Vote for us on July 31. Don’t listen to those who talk of tribalism, those who say lets get together as the people of Matabeleland, such people as Dumiso Dabengwa and Welshman Ncube. That is dead talk.”
He said he does not want to deceive the late Dr Joshua Nkomo who wanted unity in Zimbabwe.
“Umdala Wethu Cde Joshua Nkomo as he lay dying in bed he said Mugabe take care of two things; the unity of the people of Zimbabwe and the fact of the land having coming to the people. So we should never go back. I don’t want to go against the people I worked with and for what we promised,” said President Mugabe.
He said every Zimbabwean must be proud of their country.
“It’s our Zimbabwe, Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chipinge, Binga it doesn’t matter where you are, you should be proud that the war that was wedged by ZIPRA and ZANLA gave us the dignity, ubuntu bethu, that we had lost when we were colonised. Now beat your chest saying you own a country. The government doesn’t own the country, it’s just an agency,” he said.
The Zanu-PF First Secretary said Zimbabweans and the people of Matabeleland in particular, have been let down by the Minister of Finance Mr Tendai Biti after he failed to account for the $500 million special drawing rights from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He said Mr Biti, who is also the MDC-T’s secretary general had promised to give Bulawayo some $20 million for the resuscitation of industries in the city which is the country’s traditional industrial hub.
“Well we have now moved together with the MDC and we are able to judge them personally and you now know what kind of people they are. Let me tell you things have been going down and down in Bulawayo. We have had funding from IMF, $500 million. We told Biti, the Finance Minister and MDC-T secretary general we wanted to use the money to revamp some of the companies in Bulawayo. At first he agreed to set aside $20 million to Bulawayo. But now all the $500 million we don’t know were it went,” said the President.
He said the disregarding of government policy by some ministers in the inclusive Government, especially from the MDC led formations, has resulted in the suffering of most sectors, including civil servants and farmers.
President Mugabe said if Zanu-PF is voted into power, he will ensure that most of the educational projects currently under construction in Matabeleland region including the National University of Science and Technology and Lupane State University are completed.
The President said this will help ensure that Zimbabwe remains as Africa’s number one on the educational front.
President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to vote for Zanu-PF, a people-oriented party.
“Zanu PF and MDC-T are completely different. They are poles apart. We are people-oriented; we want people’s interest to be done. The MDC think of themselves only.
“To them its where shall I get my enjoyment and my family. Even today they are saying, we don’t the election,” said President Mugabe.
The President also castigated the behaviour by the leaders of MDC saying they abuse people’s money spending it lavishly.
“Weekend after weekend they are going to South Africa. They have homes, houses there. They employ European advisers and they pay them. They are people who want joys and pleasures of life.
“To them it doesn’t matter to get a wife today and reject them and get another one. We say look at the interests of the people, after all you are a leader. Polygamy in our culture is not done in that manner, it should be done properly,” he said.
The President also said if Zanu-PF is voted into power they are going to find more ways of making money.
He said: “We can now create more money by undertaking the securitisation of some of the natural resources. It involves your offering. Say a country like China guarantees that you have diamonds worth this, coal worth this or chrome.
“Give us loans based on the value of the resources and this is how some countries have developed fast. We can develop our companies, our banks and they can lend our people loans at very low interest rates such as five or six per cent.”
Labels: ROBERT MUGABE, TRIBALISM
posted by MrK @ 4:55 PM
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