Republic of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe with First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe at a public gathering inside the country. Zimbabwe has challenged western imperialism over the land redistribution program., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Africa loses principles of founding fathers
Sunday, 10 March 2013 00:00
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail
Today, we publish the final part of an interview ZTV’s Tarzan Mandizvidza had with President Mugabe as part of celebrations to mark the President’s 89th birthday which fell on February 21, 2013.
Mandizvidza: Your Excellency, let us move on to regional issues. Let us look at the relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa. We have had a number of cases of litigation against Zimbabwe in South African courts over land or alleged acts of political violence. Looking at this; is litigation now shaping bilateral relations between the two countries?
President Mugabe: No. It is only that in South Africa they have, in their community, certain elements that are outside the ANC and, therefore, cannot be controlled by the ANC.
And so, these, being the elements that once upon a time where here and became disgruntled because they were unseated by us when we acquired land from them, have become aware that in South Africa you can go to court and there is no one that would prevent you and get a judgment against Zimbabwe. Well, fine. Let them get those judgments. We will not implement them. They are South African judgments and South African courts have no jurisdiction over us.
So, we will just ignore them. They can go hang. And, when we take a stand, that is the stand.
Mandizvidza: Still on regional issues, Your Excellency, Africa kicked out the coloniser, but, we are now seeing a tendency where Africa is now waiting for the same coloniser to come and assist panyaya dzamuka mumusha. How do you explain the situation in Mali, Your Excellency, where Africa had to wait for the French to bail it out?
President Mugabe: Well, what happened in Mali happened in a very dramatic and ugly way. In Mali, they asked the French to come because they could not go in, although, they had agreed to raise a force of 3 000. But it took time in being raised and then you had a complication yekuti whereas the north had quite a number of groups ikoko, it was not just the Tuareg, they call them is it, who were causing problems. There were also foreign elements. Vanoti maelements from about eight countries there, and some gangs or groups and the north was far much more complicated than the south. The south, which had been democratic to some extent, came under a coup d’état surprisingly and the legitimate ruler was overthrown.
And so, you had a coup d’état in the south and then rebellion if not a series of them in the north put together. So, it was a complicated situation. They thought grandpa — France - was the only solution. Let us invite him to bring his forces. It does not surprise us because the Francophone countries remained associated with France.
And in a number of them, France maintained French troops. So, I said, ‘What happened there had happened in Libya. In Libya, it started with Benghazi — investigated by outsiders - and then you had the United Nations sitting on Libya and the Europeans wanting to be given power under Chapter 7 to enable them, as they alleged, to protect civilians whom, as they put it, Gaddafi was harassing and killing.
They needed two thirds majority. They could not have gotten that with our three members who were supposed to represent Africa had either voted against the resolution or abstained. But they decided to vote for the resolution; that is Nigeria, South Africa and Gabon.
Now, if Nigeria and South Africa can do that kind of thing and against the position of the AU, so, how united are we? Sad. That was the saddest thing ever to happen for these three countries; to defy the AU and decide to vote with the Europeans. And when the Europeans then came it was not just to defend and protect the civilians.
It was indeed to hunt and haunt Gaddafi and his family, which they did and succeeded in having him killed. So, there it was. KuMali, well, the French seemed to have handled it a little better than Nato did in Libya. At least they have remained conscious to the fact that this is an African mission which they are performing and they have been calling on the Africans to raise the army and to come and take over.
Ko zvino hatipo, hatipo zvino. They managed to come. They defeated, so they say. But, ivo vanoti hatina marebel group ikoko to take over macities, matowns anga atorwa and to redeem even Timbuktu. But that is what we are. At the moment, you cannot rely on any of our countries in Africa as a Pan-Africanist one along the lines dzanaNkrumah nana Nyerere nana Sekou Toure, vana Modibo Keita, hakusisina vese ivavo.
Yangova mityutyu yoga yoga izere. They just think of, you know, comfortable lives and going to Europe, going to France. Quite a number married to white women. Vanofunga kuti ndozvinopa status izvozvo. Kana usina mukadzi muchena weku France hauna status yakakwana.
And their marriages seem to last longer than marriages between our Zimbabweans and their whites. Vedu vanochata nevachena. Akadzoka kuno kumusha orambwa. Chavanovarambira hameno.
Kowakambovarowora sei? Kana wadzoka wavakunyara kufamba naye. Vanobva vanyara futi kufamba navo.
Ko, ita hwaMashayamombe uvaguse madzibvudzi! Hatidi aya, ngakumere rakanaka! When they killed their key man kuChegutu, Hartley, ndokutora mukadzi wacho, zvikanzi: You are not African enough.
Bvisa mazibvudzi ayo. And even that was not enough. Vamwe vese vanenyora - ga ga ga - ndokumutema nyora. Ndoyakafira Mashayamombe iyoyo. Pavakazouya nemareinforcements avo, vakatutwa.
But, at least he had tried to Shonalise!
Mandizvidza: Your Excellency, this scenario where you said you cannot rely on other African countries around you. . . . don’t you feel afraid, and don’t you feel isolated? You have kept standing up, speaking against imperialism.
President Mugabe: Yah yah, but, as long as we have the solidarity. Mind you, (former British Prime Minister Tony) Blair wanted to attack us actually and ayiwuya achiti ndibvumirei to attack and, of course, they were saying no, no, no. KunaanaZambia kwese uko they refused. That they refused.
At least there is that solidarity. Kana tiri pamwechete, tinonzwanana zvedu zvekuti yah. Tinosimbaradzana. Simba revamwe riri pahuzhinji, but, kutsaura woga kuti iwe stand firm in your own right and be heard, you know, to pronounce African principles, Pan-Africanist principles, avanaNyerere, hazvisisipo zviya.
Mandizvidza: Your Excellency, on Saturday (March 2) we celebrate the 21st February Movement in Bindura. Would you say the “born-frees” are still moving with you and are they going to vote for the Presidential candidate, Robert Mugabe?
President Mugabe: (Laughs) Well, it’s their movement now — the 21st February. They formed it. I did not impose it on them and I believe it is getting more and more support, really. So, we look forward to being their guest - myself and the family - and to enjoying ourselves. As for voting, well, provided they qualify and provided they are registered, one would believe that those who will qualify and those who would have qualified upon turning 18 have registered and that, well, the majority, I believe, will vote for Zanu-PF and vote for me because the other side does not offer them anything. What are they offered on the other side? Handisati ndanzwa chiriko uko. Asi kana vachida vasikana kani? There is no policy at all. What have they in agriculture? What have they in terms of economic development as a whole?
All they have is just change, chinja. Chinja chiyi? VaMugabe here kana kuti chinja vakadzi? Hameno!
Mandizvidza: Well, Your Excellency, thank you very much.
President Mugabe: On that note, yes. (Laughs)
Mandizvidza: Thank you for taking time to be with us. We really appreciate your giving us this time.
President Mugabe: Thanks.
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