Zim 'richest and most heavily resourced country' in sub-Saharan Africa

Zimbabwe is probably the richest and most heavily resourced country of all within sub-Saharan Africa, British Member of Parliament James Duddridge has said.

Writing on the Conservative party's website blog, Duddridge said it was unfortunate that the country's resources were not being used for the benefit of the poor but for the rich elite.

"The irony however, is that probably the richest and most heavily resourced country of all within the region has benefited so few of its people and savaged so many," he wrote.

This come a few weeks after President Robert Mugabe warned African security agencies they must be wary of new series of schemes by the former colonizing powers aimed at seizing control over the continent's vast natural resources.

He told a gathering of African spy-chiefs in Harare that Western governments are using peacekeeping as a cover for mineral grabs.

Conflicts are "largely influenced by the former colonial powers who want to continue to syphon resources out of the continent," Mugabe told the group, which meets annually.

Resources such as diamonds are seen as key to turning around Zimbabwe's shattered economy.

Reports have, however, indicated that mining officials loyal to authoritarian President Robert Mugabe are stashing profits from the country's diamond fields, and fears are that the money could be used for political violence ahead of elections.

Mugabe's party Zanu-PF has, however, denied hoarding diamond earnings.

Here are selected comments from the blog:

gerrydorrian66 said: "We're implicit in the mess Zimbabwe's in right now. One of Harold Wilson's last acts in 1979 was to promise the 1980 elections to Mugabe, even though Ian Smith and Abel Muzorewa - much as they had no love for each other - had figured out a way to share power. Mugabe's 1980 victory needs revisiting just as urgently as Blair's 2005 victory."

ParisClaims said: "Personally I'm more concerned with the massive amount of postal voting fraud going on in our own backyard. What has been done about it? The square root of nothing, I expect."

David_MacD said: "Zimbabwe has been independent for 30 years. What happens in that territory is entirely up to the people who live there. They are no longer Mummy's responsibility."

Harmonicaman said: "Heres an idea, how about making this countrys elections fair. Where the postal vote system is rife with corruption, where the dead vote, where postal ballots are delivered to local Labour groups for "collection". And where from my last experience of voting an asian woman, who could not speak english was in front of me at a polling station, no card no ID, did not know her own address, was unsure about her name but the chap with her, a Labour Party activist I new by sight pointed to a name on the list and told her that was her. That last part is not some typo or error. She was allowed to vote despite my protestations. My complaint to the electoral commission, I saw no pijt complaining to the local returning officer, was passed back to said local returning officer, a placeman and Labour Party member in good standing. Fix this countrys corrupt voting systen before we lecture any other country."

David 2 said: "You are joking I suppose unless you want to send in the troops? Rhodesia was a wonderful and free country until idiots like Carrington and the massed ranks of the left insisted in installing a communist dictator. All that followed was totally predictable and it is a bit late now to cry over it. Let us hope that the old corrupt thug dies soon and that someone with a bit more compassion and sense takes over. If the white man had been left there what a happy an thriving country it would be now."

aelwulf said: "Rubbish. Mugabe was voted in by a large majority. His regime is what they voted for. They went into it with eyes open. We did try very hard to make Rhodesia then Zim work and be a successful country which it could have been with only a little effort and and yet the majority wanted Mugabe.
And the world's liberal democrats eg Cameron have been weeping fake tears ever since.

This weird longing by white liberals to dive into foreign countries and wars on the most ill conceived justifications is simply beyond me. Its not just the intrusive innapropriatenss of it all, it is the their repulsive sanctimoniety that I find so nauseating.

Any sensible Conservative PM would treat such adventures with the disdain they deserve. Another reason to get shot of Cameron."