Graft threatens Zim-Asset: President

Tendai Mugabe in Marondera
President Mugabe has said corruption is hindering implementation of Zim-Asset while reiterating that those found guilty of graft and criminal abuse of office will be jailed.The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said this in his address to thousands of people who gathered at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera yesterday to celebrate the 28th edition of the 21st February Movement and President Mugabe’s 90th birthday.

This year’s edition of the 21st February Movement was held under the theme “Zim-Asset — Growing the Economy for Youths Empowerment and Employment”. President Mugabe said the country needed upright and straightforward leaders.

“Zvino kuda kuzvipundutsa kuripo ndokunoita humbavha huripo — zvokanganisa Zim-Asset yedu,” he said.  “Vanhu maiswa mumabhanga kana kuti mavamba enyu, mari dzevanhu dzodyiwa.

“Motora nekuti mave kuda kuzvipundutsa, humbavha ihwohwo. Hazvibvumidzwi. Ko inonzi discipline yacho, kuzvibata kwacho kuri papi?

“Chako hongu ndechako chisiri chako chemumwe ndechemumwe hachibatwe-batwe. Humbavha. Kutora chemumwe usina mvumo waba.

“We want straightforward honest people who will respect Government property, private property, property which does not belong to them.”

President Mugabe said his administration would deal with corruption. He said the whole country was not corrupt, but a few people entrusted to lead various institutions were tainting Government.

“Ipapo (corruption) ndopatinoda runatso,” he said. “Ipapo ndopatinoda iyezvino kuti titwasanure. Shamwari, hama, nedzisiri hama, mbavha dzorudzi irworwo musazoshama tichidziendesa kumajere.

“Saka kutaura kwandiri kuita uku hakurevi kuti mhomho yese, pauzhinji hwedu tiri mbavha aiwa. Vashoma ivavo vatinenge taisa munzvimbo dzavanenge vanzi batai voda kuzvibatsira nenzira dzisiri idzo ndovari kukanganisa zita revazhinji. Ndoivavo vari kutinyadzisa.  Ndivo vatinoda kutsvaga ivavo tivanyadzise ivavo. Saka ngativei nekuchenjerera ipapo.”

President Mugabe urged people to take advantage of the abundant natural resources in the country to start mineral beneficiation to grow the economy. He said in cases where technology was lacking, the country would learn from developed countries.

“Tive nekuzviitira, kuzvirongera.  Mwari akatipa upfumi hwepasi,” he said.  “Hwunoda kunatswa ihwohwo tosanogadziridza tichipamhidzira runako rwacho neruzivo rwatinarwo — addding value.

“Ndiyo Zim-Asset yekupedzisira iyoyo, manufacturing — adding value kuzvinhu zvose. Donje toita mbatya, simbi, mhangura toita magejo, toita mishini zvese izvozvo. Ruzivo tave kuenda tiinarwo zvatisingazive tofunda kune vamwe.”

President Mugabe thanked the nation for voting resoundingly for him and Zanu-PF in the harmonised elections last year. He said the convincing victory shocked detractors who had invested much money in their regime change agents.

“Ndinoda kukutendai nemaresults emaelections. The victory we got. Kuhwina kwatakaita nemutsindo; 31st July 2013 we made history,” he said.

“Yakava mheni yaChaminuka yakarova zvikatadza kuzivikanwa kuti zvauya sei.  The MDC was baffled. It was all down on the floor. Those opponents of us who imposed sanctions on us from the West were baffled.

“They refused to believe the truth: the truth that the people of Zimbabwe had — in that national thunderous voice, most resounding — decided that Zanu-PF shall be the Government of the country, not only now but also in the future to come.

“Zanu-PF won. Zanu-PF had the support. Zanu-PF had the message. Zanu-PF had the history. Zanu-PF was the people. The people and Zanu-PF are one. You cannot separate the two.  You talk to the people, the majority are Zanu-PF.”

President Mugabe said Zimbabweans did not hate the British but they loved their country ahead of everything else.

“The British we do not hate you,” he said. “We only love our country, we love our country better, we love ourselves better than we love you. It’s natural.

“We love our freedom, we love our right to say Zimbabwe is ours and everything in Zimbabwe belongs to us and therefore we as owners of everything in Zimbabwe shall say this is the way we want our resources to be organised and that in a manner that has been thought out and that manner has translated into what is now called Zim-Asset.”

President Mugabe said Zim-Asset began with the understanding that Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans.