Zimbabwe President, Robert
Mugabe, 93, yesterday dashed the expectations of his compatriots as well as the
international community when he bluntly refused to resign.
Mugabe shocked the world during a
nationwide broadcast Sunday night amid reports that he had agreed to step down
after leading the country for 37 years.
However, in a dramatic turn of
event last night, the nonagenarian failed to back down after the country’s
military announced his ouster from power.
His speech below…
“Fellow Zimbabweans, I address
you tonight on the back of a meeting I held today with the nation’s security
forces command element.
This meeting which was
facilitated by a mediating team… followed an operation mounted by the
Zimbabwean Defence Forces in the week that has gone by, and which was triggered
by concerns from their reading of the state of affairs in our country and in
the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Whatever the pros and cons of the
way they went about registering those concerns, I as the President of Zimbabwe
and as their Commander in Chief do acknowledge the issues they have drawn my
attention to, and do believe these were raised in the spirit of honesty and out
of deep and patriotic concern for the stability of our nation and for the
welfare of our people.
As I address you I am also aware
of a whole range of concerns which have come from you all as citizens of our
great country and which deserve our untrammelled attention.
Today’s meeting with the command
element has underscored the need for us to collectively start processes that
return our nation to normalcy so that all our people can go about their
business unhindered in an environment of perfect peace and security assured
that the law and order prevail as before and endure well into the future.
If there is any one observation
we have made and drawn from events of the last week it is the unshakable
pedestal upon which rests our state of peace and law and order, amply indicating
that as Zimbabweans we are generally a peaceably disposed people and with a
given-ness to express our grievances and to resolve our differences ourselves
and with a level of dignity and restraint so rare to many other nations. This
is to be admired. Indeed such traits must form the path of our national
character and personality. Yes, a veritable resource we summon and draw upon in
times of vicissitudes.
The operation I have alluded to
did not amount to a threat to our well-cherished constitutional order, nor was
it a challenge to my authority as head of state and government, not even as
commander in chief of the Zimbabwean Defence Forces. To the man, the commend
element remained respectful and comported themselves with diktats and mores of
constitutionalism.
True, a few incidents may have
occurred here and there but they are being corrected. I am happy that
throughout the short period the pillars of state remained functional. Even
happier for me and arising from today’s meeting is a strong sense of collegiality
and comradeship now binding the various arms of our security establishment.
This should redound to greater peace and offer an abiding sense of security in
communities and in our entire nation.
Among the issues discussed is
that relating to our economy, which as we all know is going through a difficult
patch. Of greater concern to our commanders are the well-founded fears that the
lack of unity and commonness of purpose in both party and government was
translating into perceptions of inattentiveness to the economy. Open public
spats between officials in the party and government exacerbated by multiple
conflicting messages from both the party and government made the criticisms
levelled at us inescapable.
Amidst all this, flagship
projects already adopted by government stood stalled or mired in needless
controversies. All this needs to stop as we inaugurate a new work culture and
pace which will show a strong sense of purpose and commitment to turning around
our economy in terms of our policies. The government remains committed to
improving the social and material conditions of the people. Government will
soon unveil an entrepreneurial skills and business development program which
will empower and unleash gainful projects at our growth points and in rural
areas.”
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MUCH AS I HATE MILITARY COUPS, MUGABE SHOULD PLAN FOR A SUCCESSOR. OR ELSE AT HIS DEATH ZIMBABWE MAY BE PLUNGED INTO ANOTHER SOMALIA AND RWANDA. ALL THOSE MAKING NOISE AGAINST HIM NOW NEVER DID SO UNTIL THE ARMY PUSHED BY IMPERIALISM MOVED AGAINST MUGABE. THE REGIONAL BODY AND EVEN THE A.U MUST MOVE ALONG TO GET MUGABE A SOFT LANDING OR ELSE IF THE RAMPAGING IMPERIAL POWERS OF AMERICA AND BRITAIN SUCCEED WITH MUGABE, IT MAY BE THEIR OWN TURN NEXT TIME. WE KNOW THE AFRICAN STORIES OF THE 1960s AND 70s. AFRICAN LEADERS MUST STEP IN TO SOLVE AFRICAN PROBLEMS. ONE OF MUGABE'S "SINS" IS HIS REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE WHITES TO TAKE OVER ZIMBABWEAN LANDS. Jay 2, Abuja.
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