Enough is Enough, Says Zimbabwe President Mugabe
Levi Mukarati
Deputy News Editor
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail
Judges who sanction political demonstrations in the face of strong evidence that the protests will generate into violence are negligent and reckless, President Mugabe has said.
Speaking on opposition-led violence that occurred in Harare on August 26, 2016 after the High Court allowed the demonstrators to take to the streets, the President said the judiciary should have treaded carefully following disturbances witnessed two days earlier.
He was addressing the Zanu-PF Youth League National Assembly at the ruling party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday.
Present at the meeting were Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, and Zanu-PF Politburo members Cdes Ignatius Chombo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao.
President Mugabe said: “We are happy that you managed to control yourselves in the face of real provocation by the so-called protesters who had gone about burning property, and looting, and engaging in acts of violence.
“But, of course, we can’t allow that to continue, (to have) these violent demonstrations unimpeded. No. Enough is enough. I would want to say we all have, all the people of Zimbabwe have, the duty and obligation to ensure that there is peace.
“It is not just we the ordinary people who should have the understanding (of the need for peace).
Our courts, our justice system, our judges should be the ones who understand even better than the ordinary citizens.
“They dare not be negligent in their decisions when requests are made by people who want to demonstrate, to hold these demonstrations. In light of the violence that we had earlier on, surely they should have taken note to the fact that when permission was given four days ago, there was violence; when it was given two days ago, there was violence.
“To give permission again when they (judges) are to the full knowledge that it is going to be violent or (there is a) probability that there is going to be violence is to pay reckless disregard to the peace of this country. We hope now they have learnt a lesson, ivo majudges.”
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe’s detractors were using money to destabilise Government, adding that opposition parties calling for early elections could go hang.
“They say let’s have elections now; ko 2018 yadii? Even if you have them now, can you win? They say they want a Government of National Unity which we left. They want us to go back again and want elections. That can not be.
“We also know that the regime change agenda is a broader agenda that they are pursuing. Our enemies are using money and opposition parties to invoke internal opposition forces.”
On social media abuse, President Mugabe said, “We all have a role to play in promoting brand Zimbabwe, the image of Zimbabwe, a Zimbabwe that is democratic, hardworking and peaceful.
“Branding, that is the image, that image of Zimbabwe which we should promote and also defend from its detractors. Our youths should learn from youths in China, Cuba and Russia that economic success stories have resulted from proper and constructive use of ICTs.
“Social media should never be used negatively. You have quarreled with someone (and) you want to take it up on the Internet. Tsvina idzodzo dzatinonzwa. . .get out of it. We should not be part of it. We should remain clean, clean, clean. I am happy that the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services is crafting a law to guide the proper use of social media.”
Deputy News Editor
Zimbabwe Sunday Mail
Judges who sanction political demonstrations in the face of strong evidence that the protests will generate into violence are negligent and reckless, President Mugabe has said.
Speaking on opposition-led violence that occurred in Harare on August 26, 2016 after the High Court allowed the demonstrators to take to the streets, the President said the judiciary should have treaded carefully following disturbances witnessed two days earlier.
He was addressing the Zanu-PF Youth League National Assembly at the ruling party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday.
Present at the meeting were Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, and Zanu-PF Politburo members Cdes Ignatius Chombo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao.
President Mugabe said: “We are happy that you managed to control yourselves in the face of real provocation by the so-called protesters who had gone about burning property, and looting, and engaging in acts of violence.
“But, of course, we can’t allow that to continue, (to have) these violent demonstrations unimpeded. No. Enough is enough. I would want to say we all have, all the people of Zimbabwe have, the duty and obligation to ensure that there is peace.
“It is not just we the ordinary people who should have the understanding (of the need for peace).
Our courts, our justice system, our judges should be the ones who understand even better than the ordinary citizens.
“They dare not be negligent in their decisions when requests are made by people who want to demonstrate, to hold these demonstrations. In light of the violence that we had earlier on, surely they should have taken note to the fact that when permission was given four days ago, there was violence; when it was given two days ago, there was violence.
“To give permission again when they (judges) are to the full knowledge that it is going to be violent or (there is a) probability that there is going to be violence is to pay reckless disregard to the peace of this country. We hope now they have learnt a lesson, ivo majudges.”
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe’s detractors were using money to destabilise Government, adding that opposition parties calling for early elections could go hang.
“They say let’s have elections now; ko 2018 yadii? Even if you have them now, can you win? They say they want a Government of National Unity which we left. They want us to go back again and want elections. That can not be.
“We also know that the regime change agenda is a broader agenda that they are pursuing. Our enemies are using money and opposition parties to invoke internal opposition forces.”
On social media abuse, President Mugabe said, “We all have a role to play in promoting brand Zimbabwe, the image of Zimbabwe, a Zimbabwe that is democratic, hardworking and peaceful.
“Branding, that is the image, that image of Zimbabwe which we should promote and also defend from its detractors. Our youths should learn from youths in China, Cuba and Russia that economic success stories have resulted from proper and constructive use of ICTs.
“Social media should never be used negatively. You have quarreled with someone (and) you want to take it up on the Internet. Tsvina idzodzo dzatinonzwa. . .get out of it. We should not be part of it. We should remain clean, clean, clean. I am happy that the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services is crafting a law to guide the proper use of social media.”
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