Mugabe taunts Tsvangirai at Brigadier's funeral

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday taunted his political nemesis MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai over his calls for security sector reforms during his tenure as Prime Minister in the inclusive government.

Speaking at the burial of Zimbabwe's Defence Attaché' to China, Brigadier General Misheck Tanyanyiwa, Mugabe said: "People like Tsvangirai would say they want change in the security sector. What do they know about such a crucial sector? That was never going to happen and it will not happen. We should remain ever vigilant because the enemy will try to come back in many guises, even in the form of puppet political parties, created in the name of democracy to deceive the world about their real intentions."

"If Tsvangirai and his party wanted to give them the country's resources they can go ahead and do that if they have a country of their own," Mugabe said.

"Imi vanaTsvangirai nezviparty zvenyu kanamuine nyika yenyu yamunoda kupa varungu, aah ndezvenyu mheno kwamunoiwana asi ino iyi haichafa yakaenda kuvarungu. Haichabva yatsvedza zvakare zvayanga yaita 2008."

"Today where do you stand? Are saying Zimbabwe is for the people, the country's resources belong them. Do you agree with that? Or you feel the whites should also get a share? If you had not voted resoundingly that would have happened. The British and Americans were waiting for that," he said.

Security sector reforms was one of MDC-T's major demands in the Global Political Agreement as the party, together with MDC led by Welshman Ncube, argued that security chiefs were biased towards Zanu-PF against their mandates.

Mugabe also watered down any prospects of revisiting the indigenization policy, maintaining that the 51-49% shareholding structure in favour of locals would remain in place.

"Resources are ours and should not be exploited by others. We will invite our friends provided they come to assist us not exploit us. There is no exception. I have heard others preaching otherwise, but that is not going to happen," he said.

Deputy Finance Minister Samuel Undenge recently hinted that Zimbabwe could amend its indigenisation law to provide flexible terms on capital projects, particularly those in energy and water sectors, in a move aimed at attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Zimbabwe requires at least $3 billion to finance the rehabilitation and construction of power stations, an amount which many believe cannot be sourced locally.

A huge external debt of close to $11 billion has also worsened the situation as the country struggles to access funding from multilateral institutions.

Mugabe, who is battling to halt an economic slide after securing the Zanu-PF July 31 win, also demanded that his party MPs deliver on electoral promises.

Mugabe said failure was not an option as Zimbabwe's enemies were waiting in the wings.

"The people voted for you so that you could fight for them. Not that you should be more important than them. Fight for their rights, fight sanctions . . . Once beaten twice shy. Zanu-PF cannot afford at all to sit back and relax now that the July 31 harmonised elections have ushered Zanu-PF back into the driving seat. The party's pledges to the electorate must be fulfilled and now is the time. You must remain a humble beggar," he charged.

Tanyanyiwa, whose remains were interred at the national shrine in Harare yesterday, died in Beijing last Tuesday.