News / National
'No amount of international lobbying will prevent the 29 June elections'
05 May 2013 at 05:19hrs | Views
President Mugabe yesterday said no amount of international lobbying would prevent Zimbabwe from holding national elections within the first half of this year, adding that after the elections, Zanu-PF will not negotiate for another inclusive Government.
Speaking at Zanu-PF's last pre-election central committee meeting at the party's headquarters, Cde Mugabe said plans to hold the polls by June 29 were well within the confines of the law.
He emphasised that the elections would effectively retire the "inclusive Government creature".
Commenting on a Supreme Court order which Centre for Election Democracy in Southern Africa member Mr Jealousy Mawarire is seeking to compel him to proclaim the election date by June 29, the President said the plebiscite will be conducted in accordance with legal requirements.
"The clock is ticking. This is May. In June, whether anyone likes it or not, nguva inenge yasvika. The sun will have set for the Global Political Agreement.
"You do not run to countries even in Europe to prevent the sun from setting on June 29. Kusadharara kuti the sun should not move. The day is coming; unstoppable.
"The creature is going to die a natural death. We will not negotiate another, never ever! That is a lesson to us. Let us not put our people in a similar position.". . . I notice someone has taken us to court. I do not know what he wants us to do. We have not disobeyed the law.
Parliament will come to an end on June 29. This creature will also end."
The President was optimistic Parliament will pass the Draft Constitution following the March 16 referendum.
He said the country would be forced to revert to the present Constitution if the Legislature scuttles the final stages of the constitution-making process.
"We hope Parliament will pass it. It is not yet a Constitution, but a political Draft. If people dill-dally on it, then we go back to the old Constitution.
"Some people might want to pick their preferred clauses from the Draft. However, nothing of that sort is acceptable. We are not bothered; we will go back to the old Constitution."
President Mugabe also implored Zanu-PF members to remain united and prepare adequately for the impending polls through a "BhoraMugedhi/IbholaEgedhini" approach.
He reminded the meeting of the major outcomes of the 13th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference which vehemently opposed candidate imposition.
Zimbabwe should maintain peace throughout the election period to shield itself from Western propaganda, he added.
"You will recall that the party pronounced itself clearly on the selection of party candidates for elections.
"The unambiguous message adopted by conference was a big 'no!' to the imposition of candidates.
"Put simply, we all agreed that party interests override individual ambitions. Delegates were also reminded that there should be no room for violence in the entire period before, during and after the elections.
"I want to say that our party insists on the unshakable observance of this exhortation. We must deny our detractors any opportunity of conveying falsehoods about our electoral environment and processes.
"It is my hope that this message of peace will be embraced by every party and candidate wishing to contest the elections. Those who plan to play violently will have to contend with the long arm of the law."
Zanu-PF, Cde Mugabe said, will after securing resounding electoral victory turn its full attention to national development without being impeded by an inclusive political arrangement.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces indicated that some MDC-T Cabinet ministers were stifling key Government initiatives.
A case in point was the misuse of the US$500 million Special Drawing Rights that the country received from the International Monetary Fund in 2009.
On the business front, he encouraged Zimbabweans to first consider forming partnerships among themselves instead of being entirely dependant on foreign investment.
He said while he was not against local-foreign partnerships, locals should develop expertise in various areas.
". . .I am sure that we all recall that conference commended the party for intensifying indigenisation and empowerment programmes in order to create a new breed of employers who are driven and guided by the national interest to create more employment opportunities.
"In this regard, the party calls for the speedy and timeous disbursement of youth empowerment funds to districts and wards by the responsible Government ministry to make the much-needed employment capital available to the jobless youths."
Speaking at Zanu-PF's last pre-election central committee meeting at the party's headquarters, Cde Mugabe said plans to hold the polls by June 29 were well within the confines of the law.
He emphasised that the elections would effectively retire the "inclusive Government creature".
Commenting on a Supreme Court order which Centre for Election Democracy in Southern Africa member Mr Jealousy Mawarire is seeking to compel him to proclaim the election date by June 29, the President said the plebiscite will be conducted in accordance with legal requirements.
"The clock is ticking. This is May. In June, whether anyone likes it or not, nguva inenge yasvika. The sun will have set for the Global Political Agreement.
"You do not run to countries even in Europe to prevent the sun from setting on June 29. Kusadharara kuti the sun should not move. The day is coming; unstoppable.
"The creature is going to die a natural death. We will not negotiate another, never ever! That is a lesson to us. Let us not put our people in a similar position.". . . I notice someone has taken us to court. I do not know what he wants us to do. We have not disobeyed the law.
Parliament will come to an end on June 29. This creature will also end."
The President was optimistic Parliament will pass the Draft Constitution following the March 16 referendum.
He said the country would be forced to revert to the present Constitution if the Legislature scuttles the final stages of the constitution-making process.
"We hope Parliament will pass it. It is not yet a Constitution, but a political Draft. If people dill-dally on it, then we go back to the old Constitution.
"Some people might want to pick their preferred clauses from the Draft. However, nothing of that sort is acceptable. We are not bothered; we will go back to the old Constitution."
President Mugabe also implored Zanu-PF members to remain united and prepare adequately for the impending polls through a "BhoraMugedhi/IbholaEgedhini" approach.
He reminded the meeting of the major outcomes of the 13th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference which vehemently opposed candidate imposition.
Zimbabwe should maintain peace throughout the election period to shield itself from Western propaganda, he added.
"You will recall that the party pronounced itself clearly on the selection of party candidates for elections.
"The unambiguous message adopted by conference was a big 'no!' to the imposition of candidates.
"Put simply, we all agreed that party interests override individual ambitions. Delegates were also reminded that there should be no room for violence in the entire period before, during and after the elections.
"I want to say that our party insists on the unshakable observance of this exhortation. We must deny our detractors any opportunity of conveying falsehoods about our electoral environment and processes.
"It is my hope that this message of peace will be embraced by every party and candidate wishing to contest the elections. Those who plan to play violently will have to contend with the long arm of the law."
Zanu-PF, Cde Mugabe said, will after securing resounding electoral victory turn its full attention to national development without being impeded by an inclusive political arrangement.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces indicated that some MDC-T Cabinet ministers were stifling key Government initiatives.
A case in point was the misuse of the US$500 million Special Drawing Rights that the country received from the International Monetary Fund in 2009.
On the business front, he encouraged Zimbabweans to first consider forming partnerships among themselves instead of being entirely dependant on foreign investment.
He said while he was not against local-foreign partnerships, locals should develop expertise in various areas.
". . .I am sure that we all recall that conference commended the party for intensifying indigenisation and empowerment programmes in order to create a new breed of employers who are driven and guided by the national interest to create more employment opportunities.
"In this regard, the party calls for the speedy and timeous disbursement of youth empowerment funds to districts and wards by the responsible Government ministry to make the much-needed employment capital available to the jobless youths."
Source - sundaymail
