News / National
'Mujuru faces jail'
05 Dec 2014 at 06:17hrs | Views
VICE President Joice Mujuru betrayed the trust bestowed on her by the Zanu-PF women's league by conspiring with a "treacherous cabal" to actively seek power through unconstitutional means, President Robert Mugabe said yesterday.
Mugabe said Mujuru, ministers and civil servants who have been engaged in corrupt activities will be prosecuted and booted out of the government.
President Mugabe, officially opening Zanu-PF's 6th Congress that is being held at the newly-named Robert Mugabe Square, formerly the Harare Civic Ground, said the Vice President, who is facing a litany of corruption allegations, was elevated following the 2004 Congress, but went on to betray the people as she started working with some provincial chairpersons and ministers to topple him.
Mujuru, who missed the Politburo and Central Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, was also absent from Congress yesterday.
Zanu-PF's secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa and Politburo member Nicholas Goche, who have also been fingered in the plot to topple the President, also missed the three gatherings.
"Those who engaged in corruption, if there's evidence, they'll be prosecuted. The knowledge that we have, if you're a minister, a deputy minister, a civil servant, you'll be sacked from your job," President Mugabe said to loud cheers from the 12,000 delegates gathered under a giant white tent.
He said leaders were the custodians of the party's values, and when they fail to uphold them, they disqualified themselves and go one way: "down, down and down to the dust. Spat out like dark gobble, spat out by the people."
He said those who had plotted against him by pursuing their own agenda parallel to the party's had not been barred by anyone from attending Congress, but had chosen to boycott on their own accord.
"We looked at it and saw that there was a group of people, some given posts of chairman and others we had given posts to be ministers. We started looking at it and listening, and there were so many stories from the provinces that there were plans to remove the leadership," said President Mugabe.
He said the renegade members were planning their own future after killing the President.
The 2004 Congress saw Mujuru being thrust into the leadership position after the women's wing decided that for every three top posts, one should be reserved for a female candidate, but she had failed the people, the Zanu-PF leader said.
"So you gave us one you thought could fit. She's called Joice Mujuru. You celebrated, even Amai Mugabe celebrated. For all those years, we thought we were working together in line with our plans to have economic development, our people to be uplifted. We didn't know there were plans to destroy our government, to take over from the President, the Head of State."
He said he would have wanted those who were planning to destroy the party to attend Congress so that they can face the people and explain themselves, but they had stayed away without explanation.
"That's the behaviour of thieves," he added.
He said that leaders should know that they are not chosen to enrich themselves.
"There's a lot in terms of companies, gold. There're a lot. So leaders, when you're chosen by the people, it doesn't mean you've been chosen to be thieves. You're chosen to end corruption in every town, in all areas. You should never send a thief to catch a thief. So, if you're sent to organise the house and you end up being the thief, who would catch the thieves?"
Some party members, he said, took advantage of working with the MDC-T during the coalition government with the two MDC factions to forge unholy alliances with the opposition.
"It became clear to us that the inclusive government had given some of us the opportunity for dirty politics, dirtier business alliances founded on government projects and dirtiest conspiracies which sought to destabilise the party, even the government. In this cauldron of unholy alliances and activities, the ideals of Zanu-PF were wantonly cast aside and sacrificed, as these characters pursued personal agendas and ambitions," he added.
President Mugabe wondered why anyone claiming to be a cadre, who was part of the liberation struggle, would engage in such politics. His comments appeared aimed at Mujuru.
"Why? Why? Why? We raise you in the struggle, grant you leadership, build your stature, and impart consequence to your person, often against your intrinsic worth. Instead of recognising all these efforts, you turn against the party and the President! Today, the people reject you, spit you out, push you into the arms of the very opposition you sided with," he blasted.
"I never thought a true cadre of the revolution would decay to that level. When you desert your own comrades, desert the ideals of your own revolution, abandon principles that mobilised you for the struggle, commit the infamy of joining quislings, the people will reject you."
He said the government was seized with implementing its economic blueprint, ZimAsset.
Greater food security and nutrition was already being realised through sustained agricultural effort which gave the country a bumper harvest last season.
The government is also tackling various infrastructural projects, including key utilities and amenities, he said. The country's highways were being redone to modern standards.
The energy sector, according to the Zanu-PF leader, is witnessing new projects that should see more jobs being created.
"Key decisions have been taken on value addition and beneficiation as this appertains to the key mining sector. We'll see key investments in the platinum and diamond sectors, both of them to reinforce what's already underway in the chrome industry," said the President.
"Starting early next year, key interventions are set to be made in our industry, with a view to reviving it. The budget presented last week mooted this direction which should be done with foreign capital. To that end, we continue to engage countries and institutions of goodwill, mobilising foreign direct investment which should help recover the economy and to add value to our natural endowments."
Zanu-PF has held the last two Congresses under illegal Western sanctions, and the ongoing Congress is being held under the same sanctions, but with every indication pointing to their gradual loosening and eventual dismantlement, Mugabe told the party faithful.
He said Western countries tried every trick, even contemplated a war and created a well-heeled opposition that is now falling apart.
He said the United Kingdom and the United States were opposed to the normalisation of relations with Zimbabwe: in the case of the UK this had something to do with their pending election, while for the US, Zimbabwe does not know what grievance she holds.
"I doubt even Barack Obama understands that grievance, whatever it is. I suppose in his case it has a lot to do with his being a black President in a White House, a virtual prisoner enjoined to pander to and dutifully mind white interests.
"He retires from office with an African curse, this man from whom so much was expected by our continent. But we now know better that nothing much should be expected from him."
Mugabe said Mujuru, ministers and civil servants who have been engaged in corrupt activities will be prosecuted and booted out of the government.
President Mugabe, officially opening Zanu-PF's 6th Congress that is being held at the newly-named Robert Mugabe Square, formerly the Harare Civic Ground, said the Vice President, who is facing a litany of corruption allegations, was elevated following the 2004 Congress, but went on to betray the people as she started working with some provincial chairpersons and ministers to topple him.
Mujuru, who missed the Politburo and Central Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, was also absent from Congress yesterday.
Zanu-PF's secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa and Politburo member Nicholas Goche, who have also been fingered in the plot to topple the President, also missed the three gatherings.
"Those who engaged in corruption, if there's evidence, they'll be prosecuted. The knowledge that we have, if you're a minister, a deputy minister, a civil servant, you'll be sacked from your job," President Mugabe said to loud cheers from the 12,000 delegates gathered under a giant white tent.
He said leaders were the custodians of the party's values, and when they fail to uphold them, they disqualified themselves and go one way: "down, down and down to the dust. Spat out like dark gobble, spat out by the people."
He said those who had plotted against him by pursuing their own agenda parallel to the party's had not been barred by anyone from attending Congress, but had chosen to boycott on their own accord.
"We looked at it and saw that there was a group of people, some given posts of chairman and others we had given posts to be ministers. We started looking at it and listening, and there were so many stories from the provinces that there were plans to remove the leadership," said President Mugabe.
He said the renegade members were planning their own future after killing the President.
The 2004 Congress saw Mujuru being thrust into the leadership position after the women's wing decided that for every three top posts, one should be reserved for a female candidate, but she had failed the people, the Zanu-PF leader said.
"So you gave us one you thought could fit. She's called Joice Mujuru. You celebrated, even Amai Mugabe celebrated. For all those years, we thought we were working together in line with our plans to have economic development, our people to be uplifted. We didn't know there were plans to destroy our government, to take over from the President, the Head of State."
He said he would have wanted those who were planning to destroy the party to attend Congress so that they can face the people and explain themselves, but they had stayed away without explanation.
"That's the behaviour of thieves," he added.
He said that leaders should know that they are not chosen to enrich themselves.
"There's a lot in terms of companies, gold. There're a lot. So leaders, when you're chosen by the people, it doesn't mean you've been chosen to be thieves. You're chosen to end corruption in every town, in all areas. You should never send a thief to catch a thief. So, if you're sent to organise the house and you end up being the thief, who would catch the thieves?"
Some party members, he said, took advantage of working with the MDC-T during the coalition government with the two MDC factions to forge unholy alliances with the opposition.
"It became clear to us that the inclusive government had given some of us the opportunity for dirty politics, dirtier business alliances founded on government projects and dirtiest conspiracies which sought to destabilise the party, even the government. In this cauldron of unholy alliances and activities, the ideals of Zanu-PF were wantonly cast aside and sacrificed, as these characters pursued personal agendas and ambitions," he added.
President Mugabe wondered why anyone claiming to be a cadre, who was part of the liberation struggle, would engage in such politics. His comments appeared aimed at Mujuru.
"Why? Why? Why? We raise you in the struggle, grant you leadership, build your stature, and impart consequence to your person, often against your intrinsic worth. Instead of recognising all these efforts, you turn against the party and the President! Today, the people reject you, spit you out, push you into the arms of the very opposition you sided with," he blasted.
"I never thought a true cadre of the revolution would decay to that level. When you desert your own comrades, desert the ideals of your own revolution, abandon principles that mobilised you for the struggle, commit the infamy of joining quislings, the people will reject you."
He said the government was seized with implementing its economic blueprint, ZimAsset.
Greater food security and nutrition was already being realised through sustained agricultural effort which gave the country a bumper harvest last season.
The government is also tackling various infrastructural projects, including key utilities and amenities, he said. The country's highways were being redone to modern standards.
The energy sector, according to the Zanu-PF leader, is witnessing new projects that should see more jobs being created.
"Key decisions have been taken on value addition and beneficiation as this appertains to the key mining sector. We'll see key investments in the platinum and diamond sectors, both of them to reinforce what's already underway in the chrome industry," said the President.
"Starting early next year, key interventions are set to be made in our industry, with a view to reviving it. The budget presented last week mooted this direction which should be done with foreign capital. To that end, we continue to engage countries and institutions of goodwill, mobilising foreign direct investment which should help recover the economy and to add value to our natural endowments."
Zanu-PF has held the last two Congresses under illegal Western sanctions, and the ongoing Congress is being held under the same sanctions, but with every indication pointing to their gradual loosening and eventual dismantlement, Mugabe told the party faithful.
He said Western countries tried every trick, even contemplated a war and created a well-heeled opposition that is now falling apart.
He said the United Kingdom and the United States were opposed to the normalisation of relations with Zimbabwe: in the case of the UK this had something to do with their pending election, while for the US, Zimbabwe does not know what grievance she holds.
"I doubt even Barack Obama understands that grievance, whatever it is. I suppose in his case it has a lot to do with his being a black President in a White House, a virtual prisoner enjoined to pander to and dutifully mind white interests.
"He retires from office with an African curse, this man from whom so much was expected by our continent. But we now know better that nothing much should be expected from him."
Source - chronicle
