News / Local
Devolution will divide the people of Zimbabwe says Mugabe
05 Mar 2012 at 05:27hrs | Views
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has dismissed "devolution of power" saying it will divide people of Zimbabwe and should not be included in the new constitution.
Speaking in his second interview which was broadcasted in Shona on ZBC television last night (Sunday night) to celebrate his 88th Mugabe said Zimbabwe is too small for "devolution of power" and this will also divide Zimbabweans.
"Zvekuti nyika idimburwe- dimburwe hatizvide, nokuti zvinoita kuti vanhu vasabatana. Izvo zvinoitwa kunyika dzakakura chete hazviite kuno kunyika diki seyedu.Takambova nazvo kudhara pachiri nemubatanidzwa we Federation uyo waisanganisira Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) ne Nyasaland (Malawi) kuma1953 kusvika 1960, kwete ikozvino hazvigoni zve devolution izvi.
"Vamwe varikutotaura kuti Matebeleland idimburwe ive nyika yayo yoga hazviite," said Mugabe.
"We don't want to divide the country into small pieces because will cause disunity among our people. Those things are done in big countries not to a small country like ours. "We once had this, under the Federation which included Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi)," said Mugabe. Mugabe added: "Some are talking about separating Matebeleland region to become a country that is impossible we don't want that."
Mugabe also said the service chiefs will not be changed saying he is the only one, who has power to appoint and dismiss them not Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai or Deputy Prime Arthur Mutambara.
The two formations of the MDC, human rights organisations, civic society groups, pressure groups and other opposition political parties have called for the urgent implementation of devolution of power in Zimbabwe to stop the continued marginalisation of some provinces.
They are saying devolution of power is the only way of uplifting some of the country's provinces that have remained marginalised since Independence in 1980.
Some civic groups accuse the central government of robbing resource rich regions to develop preferred provinces, notably Matabeleland which lags behind in terms of development.
MDC-T Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora last week during the memorial service of the late Bulawayo Senator Gladys Gombami revealed "that devolution power is included in the new constitution".
Speaking in his second interview which was broadcasted in Shona on ZBC television last night (Sunday night) to celebrate his 88th Mugabe said Zimbabwe is too small for "devolution of power" and this will also divide Zimbabweans.
"Zvekuti nyika idimburwe- dimburwe hatizvide, nokuti zvinoita kuti vanhu vasabatana. Izvo zvinoitwa kunyika dzakakura chete hazviite kuno kunyika diki seyedu.Takambova nazvo kudhara pachiri nemubatanidzwa we Federation uyo waisanganisira Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) ne Nyasaland (Malawi) kuma1953 kusvika 1960, kwete ikozvino hazvigoni zve devolution izvi.
"Vamwe varikutotaura kuti Matebeleland idimburwe ive nyika yayo yoga hazviite," said Mugabe.
"We don't want to divide the country into small pieces because will cause disunity among our people. Those things are done in big countries not to a small country like ours. "We once had this, under the Federation which included Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi)," said Mugabe. Mugabe added: "Some are talking about separating Matebeleland region to become a country that is impossible we don't want that."
Mugabe also said the service chiefs will not be changed saying he is the only one, who has power to appoint and dismiss them not Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai or Deputy Prime Arthur Mutambara.
They are saying devolution of power is the only way of uplifting some of the country's provinces that have remained marginalised since Independence in 1980.
Some civic groups accuse the central government of robbing resource rich regions to develop preferred provinces, notably Matabeleland which lags behind in terms of development.
MDC-T Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora last week during the memorial service of the late Bulawayo Senator Gladys Gombami revealed "that devolution power is included in the new constitution".
Source - radiovop
