Mugabe rule a photocopy of Smith regime- Mthwakazi

Mthwakazi Republic Party has said President Robert Mugabe's rule is clearly a photocopy of Ian Smith's regime but his is highly aggressive and retrogressive.

Party's Secretary General: Hloniphani Ncube said a visit to government's departments have established that a lot have been done by the Mugabe led government more aggressive than the colonial government or rule.

"The Zanu PF policies especially internal government systems highly promotes tribalism, oppression and aggression especially to the Mthwakazi regions which are presently known as Matebeleland," said Ncube. "Firstly a visit to the labour court established that, the government labour court system cannot assist the government employees but instead they stand to monitor the treatment of private sector employees and one wonders that, what about a large number of civil servants whose labour related rights are manipulated on daily bases."

He said secondly, the government lawyers also indicated that, they cannot assist anyone violated by the government.

"Hence the rhetoric question is who then will assist the scores of Mthwakazi people whose work related issues are violated by the government. The most disheartening discovery established by the secretariat of the party is that, there was no single office at Mhlanhlandlela which was presided by a fellow from Mthwakazi region except the accounting department," he said. "Furthermore the people working at that department could not pronounce even a single term of Mthwakazi languages that are spoken and one can only helplessly wonder that who will assist the Mthwakazi workers who cannot express themselves in English."

He said furthermore, the Mugabe regime also introduced Public Order and security Act, which its components are similar and more aggressive than the LOMA of the Smith regime.

"This act hinders the right to freedom of association, which is the basis of African pride. In Africa we relate and associate, and we are one, but that is not tasted among the citizens of this oppressed and isolated land of Mthwakazi," he said. "Apart from that, the secretariat noticed that, the government of Zimbabwe is against educating the children from Mthwakazi region. Scores of students from our Lapane State University were outside classes on the bases that hey had no money for fees, and the question is, where does this government of Mugabe expect our people to get money from in this deepening economy which is engineered by them."

He said they have noticed that since the introduction of a Shona vice chancellor a lot has changed policy wise to frustrate our children especially from Mthwakazi, and they warn them that, we are following the events closely.

"We are also worried about the judiciary system which is presided by people who are not locals, who does not understand the culture and customs of our land, as well as development related issues. We urge whilst there is still diplomatic time the now government to urgently address these concerns," he said. "A number of human rights crimes are committed by this government and we are saying the time to solve these issues is now. Furthermore, secondary and primary education of our region is highly necked. A cross section of evaluation undertaken by the officers in my department established that almost ninety percent teachers teaching in Bulawayo cannot understand the indigenous languages of the local people."

Ncube said the Bulawayo province working with my office will very soon address these issues.

"As we always say it is our wish for every development we seek to undertake in our land to be peaceful and we hope no one will disturb us from addressing the challenges affecting our people. We urge all Mthwakazi development stakeholders to partner us in this endeavour to free our people from all forms of oppression," Ncube said.