Corrupt officials to be sent to jail, says Mugabe at his $1m bash

President Robert Mugabe has made a commitment to make sure that all people involved in the massive corruption and looting in the country will be sent for a long time in prison.

Mugabe said this while addressing over 60 000 people, mostly youth, who gathered at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera for his 90th birthday bash organised by Zanu-PF's youth wing known as the 21st February Movement. Mugabe reiterated his previous calls that everyone involved in any corruption activity must be arrested and sentenced to long imprisonment terms that will deter anyone hoping to practise any corruption.

The president said corruption was not good for his ruling Zanu-PF engineered economic blue print ZimAsset. He said corruption was against the spirit of ZimAsset which needs honest people for it to succeed.

"We want straight forward honest people who will respect government property, public property and property that does not belong to them for this project to be a success."

Mugabe swore that his government will not leave a stone unturned as they search for what he called "the few individuals" who are involved in corruption and bring them to book. "We will hunt them down and catch them" vowed the president.

The president went on to lament at the high unemployment levels in the country stating that a number of young people were graduating from universities and colleges to remain unemployed. 
"14 500 young people graduate from universities annually another 7 000 from colleges and only 10% are absorbed into formal employment," lamented the President.

The president's cry however comes contrary to a report by the central statistical office ZimStat which last year produced a report that the country only had a 15% unemployment rate.

Closing off his hour long speech, Mugabe called on the country's youth to be disciplined if they wish to live to see 90 years as he has done. He blamed the abuse of alcohol and cigarettes as the number one factor leading to the reduction in the life expectancy in the country.

Mugabe said in his life he has seen most if not all of his friends die while he remains alive not because he has done anything special but because he has over the years maintained an alcohol and smoke free life.

Mugabe added that HIV and AIDS is another scourge killing young people in recent years urging young people to avoid AIDS by all means possible.

"Use your organs properly because if you don't they will reject you and bring you AIDS and you start wondering what is happening to you," said the aged president speaking more like a grand father addressing his grand children than a president of a third world country ailing under the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

As expected, whenever he addresses issues of sexuality especially amongst the youth, President Mugabe would not have gone without taking swipe at gays and lesbians. The president castigated homosexuality as immoral and uncultural.

"The weapons we were given were specially designed for their intended purpose not any other way," said the president in Shona referring to sexual organs as ZVOMBO (weapons of mass destruction).

"Can you imagine a woman melting on top of another woman???? I mean really," he said amidst cheers from the delegation of mostly senior Zanu-PF seated behind him. Surprisingly, some who were clapping have had numerous cases of homosexuality labelled against them which they have never out rightly denied.

Mugabe closed off his speech by thanking the Peoples Republic of China and Russia for sending him congratulatory messages on his 90th birthday.

"I want to thank the new President of China for expressing his commitment to continuing the relationship China has with Zimbabwe which stretches back to our liberation struggle."

Mugabe also thanked the Socialist Republic of Russia for the well wishes and also thanked Russia for backing the ZIPRA forces during the liberation struggle while China backed the ZANLA forces "which have since been integrated into one army as a patriotic army."

The event which was organised by the Zanu-PF youth league and the Mashonaland East Provincial committee saw 90 cattle being slaughtered to match the president's age. 2 400 broiler chickens were also slaughter and a further 250 "road runners" (home produced chickens) and tonnes of maize meal and rice cooked for the 60 000 plus people who attended the 24 hour bash.

According to the Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs, 60 year old Absalom Sikhosana $1 000 000 was used for the function which had more than 30 local musicians billed to perform through out the night.