Be Wary of Western Leaders, Zimbabwe President Mugabe Says

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Grace Amai with Vice President Joice Mujuru at Harare International Airport as the president leaves the country for Malawi. They attended the burial of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Be wary of western leaders: President

Friday, 27 July 2012 00:00
From Sydney Kawadza in Marange
Zimbabwe Herald

President Mugabe yesterday said Zimbabweans should be cautious of Western leaders who praise them as good leaders while arming them to work against the people.

He said Western leaders could use Zimbabweans to fight against each other so that they exploit the country.

President Mugabe, who is the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, was speaking at Gomorefu High School while officially launching the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust that received US$50 million dollars from five companies mining diamonds in the area.

“Tine vamwe pakati pedu varikuzemberana nevarungu. Kana uchizemberana naava vanhu usingazvione kuti urikushandiswa uri benzi,” he said.

“Some of us have scars inflicted by the colonial settlers during the period we were fighting against them. Asi vamwe vedu hatizvione izvozvo. Vobva vapinzwa muhomwe.

“Vamwe vanobva vatonzi you are a good leader. Being equated to Mandela! Urikushandiswa kurwisana nevanhu vako.”

President Mugabe’s remarks come after Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard early this week equated Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to former South African President Nelson Mandela.

He urged Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to return home and benefit from Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and empowerment programme for the development of the country.

President Mugabe said the struggle had since moved to the economy since Zimbabweans took over the land.

“We have the knowledge and we are saying now we can mine our minerals,” he said.

President Mugabe bemoaned Zimbabweans’ lack of enthusiasm to take up the indigenisation and empowerment drive.

“Vanhu havasati vanyatsotambira Chimurenga ichochi chekutora hupfumi hwedu. The environment is correct (and) the opportunities are legally correct. Where are the performers?” he said.

President Mugabe took a swipe at locals who are happy to be workers.

“Our children whom we want to take over these companies are afraid, asi kukauya murungu vanomhanya. You should have the confidence to exploit our resources,” he said. “Your country is calling on you.

Zvicherwa zvirimumaoko enyu. We do not want the 51-49 percent ownership. We want total control. Tirikuti huyai, huyai, huyai!

Please, please, please. Now tirikuti come, come, come, come, come!” President Mugabe said Zimbabweans in the Diaspora should return home and use their expertise to develop the local industry.

“Where we still need more education and skill, the Government is committed to the development of these skills,” he said.

President Mugabe said natural resources should benefit communities where they are found.

Government would ensure that all Zimbabweans benefit from the country’s natural resources.

“The areas should be developed to show that they have the resources. Saka madzishe onai kuti nzvimbo dzenyu dzawana rubatsiro kune makambani ariko kwenyu,” said President Mugabe.

“The companies should employ children from the same areas.” President Mugabe said there were Government plans to determine the country’s mineral resources. He took a swipe at some elements in the inclusive Government for castigating the indigenisation and empowerment drive.

“We have some among us who need training in ideology,” said President Mugabe. “Those who need to understand that the country has to look at itself, examine itself. There are areas that we must regard as sacred. Those have to be milked by us. We can have partners, but not the kind of partners from America who want everything for themselves and if you resist they would do to you what they did to (Muammar) Gaddafi or Saddam (Hussein). Tochenjerera zvakaitwa Gaddafi . . .”

Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin, Sino-Zimbabwe and the Diamond Mining Company each gave US$10 million to the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust. President Mugabe handed over US$1,5 million for opening of an account for the Trust. He also handed over US$500 000 for the Manicaland Province Youth Fund, which primarily targets youths in Nyanga for their potato growing projects.

Speaking earlier at the official opening of St Noah Primary School in Mafararikwa Village in Marange, President Mugabe castigated the emergence of dubious churches that were taking advantage of desperate people.

He said some of the churches being established did not serve the interests of the people. “Zvimwe zvacho zvazonyanyawo asi hatikwanise kuzvirambidza. Unonzwa uyu achiti ini ndava pastor nditeverei. Ini nemudzimai vangu titeverei. Tavamba chechi yedu. Tine nziyo dzedu saka titeverei,” said President Mugabe. We do not want false prophets . . . ”

President Mugabe hailed High Priest Noah Taguta and the Johanne Marange African Apostolic Church for building the school.

“Nguva yatiri inguva yeshanduko. This is a period of transition and today’s life has it that our children are educated so that they have some knowledge,” he said.

The idea to build a school for the Mafararikwa community was mooted in 2010 when President Mugabe attended the church’s Annual Passover Feast. Parents provided material resources and labour, while Mbada Diamonds donated roofing material worth US$230 000 to build the school. Mbada Diamonds donated textbooks for all levels at the school, while each child received a set of school uniforms.

The school has 2 500 pupils with a staff complement of 45 teachers. President Mugabe also donated 15 computers for the school’s computer laboratory.