Deployment of army personnel to parastatals to continue

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said deployment of ex-military officers in civil positions like State enterprises would continue as they have the skills and are role models of valour, patriotism, honesty, industriousness and discipline.

Addressing mourners at the burial of Retired Air Commodore Mike Tichafa Karakadzai at the National Heroes Acre, President Mugabe dismissed as "nonsense" views by the MDC-T and its associates that such deployments were tantamount to militarisation of the State and scoffed at some calls for security sector reforms.

"Men and women with the correct political ideology and military prowess such as Karakadzai formed the backbone of our defence forces at independence," he said.

"With time, their immense skills came to be deployed variously as the situation demanded. Hence, these military cadres have from time to time been deployed to civilian positions in their various capacities."

President Mugabe added: "Karakadzai was retired from the Air Force to go and head one of our critical parastatals, the National Railways of Zimbabwe, as its general manager.

"We have similar examples in other state-owned enterprises. They have brought into these institutions invaluable skills and vital experience which have made great impact on parastatals' performance and service delivery.

"One gets surprised when our detractors question the wisdom of deploying ex-military officers in State institutions and they describe such deployments as the militarisation of institutions concerned. Nothing could be further from the truth. These men and women are role models of valour, patriotism, honesty, industriousness and discipline, all qualities that are beyond reproach."

President Mugabe poked at MDC-T leader and former Prime Minister Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, dismissing him as "unconsciously ignorant" and a pain to work with.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, who worked with Mr Tsvangirai in the inclusive Government for over four years, equated the MDC-T leader to "a frog aspiring to be a crocodile".

He said Mr Tsvangirai advocated security sector reforms when he had no knowledge of carrying out such reforms.

"Since when has a frog aspired to be a crocodile?" said President Mugabe. "Ehe, tinoruma, takaruma masettlers muno, without those biting teeth we will not have got our country.

"Kozoti iwe unotawuka tawuka zvako uripapa you want to do sector reforms? Zvinosekesa. Knowledge yacho unoyiwana kupi? Where did you get the knowledge to do that reform from? Hanzi we must do security sector reforms, you see, chinoshupa ndechekuti pamunhu anenge asina ruzivo anozviziva kuti handina ruzivo, you can deal with him better.

"You are better off with an ignorant person who is aware, conscious, of his ignorance, who accepts that he is ignorant, but if you are ignorant of your ignorance inhamo huruhuru. Uchifunga kuti kusaziva hungwaru, ah, unopinza vanhu munhamo."

President Mugabe said it was shocking that some people voted for the MDC-T in 2008 and continued to do so even on 31 July when it was clear the party lacked leadership qualities.

He said working with the MDC-T in the inclusive Government required "real patience and endurance".

"Kuti mufambidzane muchinzwanana hurukuro dzacho nema ideas acho zvinobva zvasiyana kure kure," said President Mugabe. "Ndiani anoti sikiriri kufunhaidza majudge. Vose kutuka asi mangwana wozoenda kwavari kuti ndinenyaya yandinoda kuti muyione, vakare vawabva kutuka nezuro? Koruzivo rwaunarwo rwakaita sei? Ndivo vainzi namai vangu dofo chairo iro.

"Munhu ungave dofo kupfuura ipapo? So, well, I hope our country will never get ignoramuses muyine vana vakaenda kuma universities vakaenda kuzvikoro vatinosimudzira. Vamwe vanobva vati ndivo vatinoda, chamunoyemura chii? Harare kuvhotera, Bulawayo kuvhotera, chiendai munopihwa zvamakavhotera ikoko."