Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has described 2008 as the most difficult year and urged Zimbabweans to remain united and focused in the face of difficulties as better times were beckoning, The Herald said on Friday.
Addressing the 75th Session of the Zanu-PF Central Committee on Thursday ahead of the 10th National Annual People's Conference which opens Friday, Mugabe apologized for the "inadequacy . . . experienced with regards to inputs".
He said Zimbabwe was importing large quantities of maize delivered last week and that priority would be given to people living in remote areas hard hit by food shortages.
President Mugabe said following the gazetting of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill, he would soon invite leaders of the MDC formations to map the way forward. "We will be inviting the two leaders, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, to come and discuss the way forward," Mugabe said.
He urged Central Committee members and the public to study the bill. The bill allows the public to look at what is being proposed and the public are free, through their Members of Parliament, to draw their attention to aspects they want to finally come out, he said.
Mugabe said the British and the Americans were against the formation of an inclusive Government in Zimbabwe as it leaves him and Zanu-PF in office.
"I was reading recent utterances by Condoleezza Rice (U.S. Secretary of State) that African leaders are not prepared to topple President Mugabe and bring about regime change. She condemned this inability on the part of African leaders. How could African leaders ever topple Robert Mugabe, organise an army to come? It is not easy. I do not know of any African country that is brave enough to do that," he said.
Mugabe took a swipe at Botswana for being a mouthpiece for the British and the Americans. "Botswana is making some stupid noises. They are just hollow noises to assure the MDC that the Botswana government supports it and also in response to Britain and America that Botswana is a good mouthpiece of the white men," Mugabe said.
Scoffing at the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who suggested that he should be charged with genocide because of the cholera outbreak, President Mugabe said the West was now trying to use the humanitarian issue to invade the country.
Africans, he said, were rational enough to know that epidemics do occur regardless of whether one is black or white.
Mugabe said the cholera outbreak and the current challenges were a result of the illegal sanctions imposed by the West.
He warned delegates to be wary of the enemy who was devising new ways of destroying Zanu-PF from within and urged members to be on high alert.
The President said there has been a build-up of incidents of a military nature perpetrated against the people and country.
The President warned Tsvangirai against being used against the people by some Western countries. "Yes, they will back you to do the foolish business of fighting your people but we are watchful. We are saying that cannot continue." |
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