Mugabe comes out guns blazing

The President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, Robert Mugabe says the revolutionary party must and will win the forthcoming harmonised elections resoundingly.

Speaking during the launch of the Zanu-PF election manifesto at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare, President Mugabe said the party should go into the election battle with the full knowledge that there is a political enemy and that this is a do-or-die situation.

"What victory will it be? Will it be just 51 upon 100, 70 per cent, 80 per cent, 90 per cent, or it will be upon-upon? We want upon-upon in every constituency," he said.

The President urged the party candidates to work hard to gain the support of the people.

"Let us expect to lose one or two men. We shall still say that our victory was not less than 90 per cent. Go ye fight the battle and come back and tells us that you have met with the people; you came from the people; you were elected by your constituency and join forces in going into the national battle," he said.

"You are not alone, the party is supporting you. Your victory is our victory. We are here to regain what we have lost along the way," he added.

Mugabe said the party has made mistakes in the past and is now correcting political errors made in 2008, where it lost crucial votes to the opposition.

"We shall work together. We of Zanu-PF do not know defeat. We suffer losses of individuals here and there, but we have the capability and ability to re-organise ourselves and wage this war forcefully."

He said the next government of the people will "never again allow those from our erstwhile colonisers to taste government, leadership of the nation," adding the government of national unity had failed to fulfill the expectations of the majority as "some were reluctant to leave their positions."

He criticised those in the inclusive government who go outside the country to consult on matters of national governance, saying Zanu-PF is a people's party and that is why he complied with the court decision to have elections held on July 31st.

President Mugabe reminded the people of Zimbabwe that the country was fought for and on April 18 1980 it got independence.

"We will defend our sovereignty against any interference from any quarters. 'Zimbabwe must do this',   'Zimbabwe must do that' - that must end!" he said.

He said those who worked in the GPA wanted to reverse the land reform programme that has benefitted thousands of previously marginalised indigenous people.

"We have to protect and defend that programme. They had also seen that they did not want to give financial assistance to businesses. They just wanted to see things to collapse. To councillors, this is not your money. You are not councillors. You said you want to assist people and not you being helped to gain wealth. We do not allow that," President Mugabe said.

He said as a party they look at the behavior of those elected so that one should follow their character. 

"If you look at the MDC-T leadership, it's all about promiscuity. Let us uphold good character and behavior. No to gay marriages. Obama said he wished that we in Africa accepted gay marriages. Parents, tell your children that we are against gay marriage."

The President said he respected the Constitutional Court ruling that the 31st of July is the day for harmonised elections.

"Let there be peaceful elections. We had a peaceful referendum and so let us have peaceful polls. Peace begins with me; peace begins with you and peace begins with all of us," said the President.

President Mugabe's speech touched on a variety of social, economic and political issues that included dollarisation, the banking sector and gay marriages.  

He said the country would one day go back to its currency, "when we have old at our Reserve Bank, then we will have a Zimbabwean dollar with value."