‘Hold on to Zim dollars’

Kamangeni Phiri in Gweru
PRESIDENT Mugabe has urged people stuck with  Zimbabwean dollars to hang on to the currency as the Government is working out modalities of compensating them. Addressing a bumper crowd at the Mkoba Open Grounds near Mkoba Teachers’ College and Budiriro College in Gweru yesterday, President Mugabe who is Zanu-PF First Secretary and President said the decision to compensate Zimbabweans in possession of the local currency followed close consultations with Reserve Bank Governor, Dr Gideon Gono.

“VaGono vakauya vachindipa zevezeve rekuti vanhu nemadollar aye aingovakwirira achive billions, billions dollars, millions millions, vamwe vakazoaruza vachiti vamwe vachinawo. (Dr Gono told me that many people still have lots of the Zimbabwean currency in their homes). We will look into the issue and if you still have them don’t destroy them. Chikwereti chatinacho kwamuri. We will work out on how best to compensate you.

It might not be much but we will see how much you will be given to compensate you. We will be looking at this matter as Government together with you.

“This is among many of the things that we want to do to improve things in our country, to have quality leadership and progress as a nation. This is to make sure that our party and the Government led by our party are following the people’s wishes,” he said to applause from the huge crowd.

Zimbabwe introduced  multiple foreign currencies in 2009 following a free-fall of the local currency because of the illegal economic sanctions imposed on the country by Britain and her allies as a way of pushing for regime change.

The illegal sanctions were imposed on Zimbabwe at the behest of the MDC-T.
President Mugabe said all workers should be awarded meaningful salary increments, especially teachers and the rest of the civil service.
He said people made a lot of sacrifices in the past five years under the Inclusive Government, which did not address their concerns.

“Workers are suffering owing to poor salaries. Salaries are so low, kubvira nekwandiri ndiri President, mufunge ndinotambiriswawo $3 000 vamwe vachitambira $200 000. Workers failing to make ends meet, housewives have challenges coming up with relish for their families.  It is time workers are paid salaries that are in line with the work they are doing.  People cannot continue making sacrifices. The last five years of GNU were very painful. Our people made lots of sacrifices in the past five years but they can’t continue doing that. It is now time that we start working towards the upliftment of our people by paying workers high salaries and wages. The same applies to teachers and the rest of the civil servants.

Saka ndizvo zvezvimwe zvatinokuvimbisai. Isu hativimbise zvinhu zvatisingaite,” said President Mugabe.
The President said Zanu-PF was a people-centred party, which would continue empowering people through its policies like the land reform and the indigenisation of the economy. Women, the President said, suffered a lot operating as small to medium enterprises.

“Women faced challenges to sustain their SMEs projects like weaving, knitting and moulding. We need to give them machines to work with, machines that suit whatever it is that they will be engaged in.

“Banks should also come on board and give them loans at reasonable interest rates,” he said.
President Mugabe said Government had imported enough maize from Zambia to feed everyone. He said the maize was on its way and the delays had to do with transportation.

President Mugabe urged people to continue participating in Zanu-PF crafted economic empowering programmes as a way of improving their lives.
He said there was no point for Zimbabwe to always court foreigners

“Maize is coming. We cannot just look at you while you starve but you also have a role to play in ending poverty. That is why we gave you land, tractors and fertilisers as well as farms to work on. Embrace indigenisation of the economy. We will continue to empower our people. The majority of companies should be in the hands of local people so that the money they generate remains within the country. Banks should help revamp our economy by giving them loans. We, however, do not like the high interest rates they charge. They are a burden to our people and industries,” said President Mugabe.

The President said there was no going back on cancelling debts accrued by residents when most urban councils were under MDC-T.
He said the MDC-T leadership deliberately came up with high rates and bills so that they take away people’s houses.

“Saka ndidzo pfungwa dzatiinadzo, ko dzavamwe vedu ava ndedzei? (these are some of our programmes, how about our colleagues in the MDC-T?) … what they only understand is homosexuality. There are many lessons to be drawn from the church.

“The church says homosexuality is an abomination. It is even an abomination in our own culture . . . men who engage in such practices deserve to be castrated. If I had my way I would make sure that they go straight to hell and rot.

“They wanted to take over your houses so that they sublet them. This is despite the fact that some of them like Tendai Biti had houses in South Africa and many others locally. We said no to that.

The MDC-T is a party after enriching itself. Their masters, Britain and the US were waiting on the sidelines for an MDC victory but there is no way they will win this election. Voting for MDC will be selling the country for good. We made a pact long back to defend the country all the time, regardless of the circumstances and time,” said President Mugabe.

He attacked Minister of Finance, Mr Biti for diverting the $500 000 million from the IMF meant for the resuscitation of industries especially in Bulawayo to save people’s jobs.

President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to vote for him and Zanu-PF as the party had a duty to revamp the economy using the country’s resources.
Cde Mugabe said the land reform was a priority when the country attained independence.

He took a swipe at Britain and the United States for backtracking on compensating white commercial farmers.
He said the British and their friends wanted to effect regime change in Zimbabwe using the effects of drought and the illegal sanctions.

“Things were not going on well in 2008 due to sanctions. The British wanted to create the impression that the Zanu-PF Government had failed using the drought years and the illegal sanctions they imposed on us. They came up with their own party, the MDC-T.

“The British issued instructions to MDC-T and its leadership. Nhasi wavekushevedzera Chinja chinja, kuchinja chii? How can you change the ways of your forefathers. So are you (Tsvangirai) going to change your skin and hair to be like your master, Blair (former British Prime Minister) that you listen to? Chinjazve tione ganda rako. You are always chasing after our daughters, one after the other. Why not look for white women?” said President Mugabe.

He said those who voted for MDC-T should look themselves in the mirror after experiencing first hand the corruption and incompetence of MDC-T leadership from council to Cabinet.

President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to be peaceful when campaigning and voting.