Mugabe returns home

President Robert Mugabe has returned home from the 35th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit held in Gaborone Botswana.

The summit at the Gaborone International Conference Centre saw President Mugabe giving President Ian Khama the chairmanship badge, marking the end of his reign.

In his acceptance speech, President Khama pledged to continue with the industrialisation agenda, which has been the hallmark of his predecessor's reign since taking over during the 34th SADC Summit held in Victoria Falls last year.

President Mugabe hailed the 15-member regional bloc for ensuring Southern Africa is the most peaceful and stable region on the continent.

During his tenure as SADC chairman, President Mugabe has been vocal about the need for Africa to take ownership of its resources and he still feels the region must stop exporting materials in their raw form.