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Harare Bureau
PRESIDENT Mugabe has thrown the gauntlet at MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai to go for elections on 31 July and stop obstructing the electoral process after the Prime Minister sensationally claimed that Zanu-PF was scheming to delay the polls. Cde Mugabe was responding to Mr Tsvangirai’s claims at a rally in Gokwe on Wednesday that Zanu-PF wants the elections postponed when it is the MDC formations who have been battling to halt the polls.
Addressing a bumper crowd of tens of thousands of people at the party’s Mashonaland West Star Rally in Chinhoyi yesterday, President Mugabe said Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC formations should set the stage for the election by withdrawing the court cases meant to defer the polls.
“I was happy to hear that Mr Tsvangirai now wants to have elections by 31 July. Ndikati baba-we . . . He is saying kuti tisu Zanu-PF takaramba kuti maelections awuye musi wa31 July . . . Hanzi ivo ndovarimberi isu tiri kumashure . . . munhu mukuru ataura ka uyu! My challenge to him is that let us be sincere. Let’s all help the processes that are leading to the elections and let us not go ahead with court applications that are against the elections,” he said.
The MDC formations, the President said, should assist the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in holding the election rather than wantonly criticise the electoral body.
He said the coalition government was established to set conditions for a free and fair election and was not an end in itself.
“Let’s also freely help Zec, let’s freely help the security forces and let’s help all the processes that are leading to the election rather than offering unjustified criticism,” he said.
“Our parties should offer solutions in various areas where we feel Zec is not doing well. We want inter-party vigilance from all groups tichibatsirana neZec kwete kuti tigovashora. These are our elections and they are not an election for Zec.”
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said Zec was there to assist politicians through facilitating the elections.
Cde Mugabe urged all observers accredited to observe the elections to carry their work with diligence.
He reiterated that Zimbabwe had barred observers from the United States and Europe for imposing sanctions on the country.
“We say no to USA, we say no to countries that imposed sanctions on us. But we say yes to Sadc, yes to Comesa and yes to the African Union. There is nothing to hide in these elections,” he said. “We want to assure all observers that we have nothing to hide and we will assist if they point out areas which they feel might need attention. If they point out areas that they feel may need to be attended to especially because of violence or anything else, we will duly attend to them,” he said.
He said the US was advancing “mad arguments” about the need to postpone the elections to attend to media and security sector reforms which are also being parroted by the MDCs saying these were issues that should be taken to the electorate for determination.
“America must be mad to suggest that we should not hold elections which are due anyway according to our laws. They are advancing mad arguments . . . please keep your pink nose to yourself. We are a nation that is guided by principles and these principles do not come from America . . . so please keep your hands off . . . you are still democratically filthy and correct that and then you can come and teach us about democracy,” he said.
President Mugabe took a swipe at Britain and the US for reneging on their pledge to fund land reforms despite earlier promises by their late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Jimmy Carter of America.
He said the formation of the MDC-T was a direct result of the West’s arrogance after they realised that they could no longer have good relations with Zanu-PF which stood firm on its stance to go ahead with the agrarian reforms.
“Then Bush and Blair formed an alliance against Zimbabwe because they did not want to fund the land reform exercise which their previous administrations led by Jimmy Carter and Margaret Thatcher had agreed to do . . . It was a case of Blair helping Bush in Iraq and Bush helping Blair in Zimbabwe. The BBs, Blooming Fools.
“MDC is a party formed by the Labour Party, the Liberals and the Conservatives even the MDC themselves do not deny this. Then MDC inoti makatorera varungu mapurazi muchazviona. Mumwe wedu here uyu anodaro, akomana, hanzi chinja chinja. Unochinja ganda rako nekupi,” he said to a rousing applause from the crowd.
President Mugabe said Zanu-PF members contesting the elections as independents have automatically expelled themselves.
He launched a direct attack on Marian Chombo who is standing as an independent candidate in Zvimba North against her former husband Dr Ignatius Chombo saying she should have accepted defeat and supported the winning candidate.
“Kuna Mai Marian, vachine zita rekuti Chombo here, vari kuramba kurambwa. Kuti vakarambana nemurume voda kukwikwidzana naye, party ikaramba futi . . . Wakamira ka, ukakundwa, izvi ndezvemumba menyu hatina kuzvipindira ka, asi izvi ndezve imba yedu yeZanu-PF hatidi kunyonganisana ka. Hatidi hatidi,” he said to wild applause.
President Mugabe said if elected into power, Zanu-PF would formalise small-scale mining and give opportunities to the youths to have a substantial stake in industries.
He blasted promiscuity especially among men saying discipline is crucial to nation building and also castigated homosexuality.
The President warned banks against profiteering through charging extortionate interest rates that stifle emerging businesses.
He said banks should help people venture into business.
“We don’t want banks that survive on profiteering. The high interest rates that banks are charging are unbearable,” he said.
“We say no to high interest rates. Banks should also allow people to get financial facilities to grow their businesses. Mari dzinobva kumabank hadzifanire kutityora musana.”
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter