Mugabe criticise Kasukuwere

President Mugabe yesterday criticised Kasukuwere for haphazardly distributing urban land for residential stands to Zanu-PF youths, saying the process was "highly flawed" as it could be easily abused by land barons and corrupt officials.

Mugabe said youths could easily lose the land Kasukuwere wanted to allocate them, as there were vultures ready to pounce.

The President said it would be prudent to build structured apartments so that youths could reasonably benefit, rather than giving them land which could easily be taken away.

"In urban areas we have no enough space to give you for residential stands. We want to start a programme to build apartments which can accommodate a lot of people. I heard your leader (Chipanga) saying you were given land by Kasukuwere in the Manyame area. I am not satisfied with that because if we continue like that we will go nowhere," Mugabe said.

Mugabe said youths were marrying and having children whose siblings would also want land. He said it would be impossible to give them the land if they were to go with the model of giving out residential stands.

He said Zanu-PF officials canvassing to succeed him were power-hungry, while urging them to wait for the party's elective congress in 2019.

Zanu-PF is on the verge of implosion as rival factions plot against each other in a bid to position themselves to succeed 93-year-old Mugabe, who is refusing to retire to make way for fresh blood.

"This issue of factions where some leaders are conducting meetings at night while others are approaching witchdoctors, this is where I am saying Chipanga and your team, it's you who are being approached for support," Mugabe said.

"It's you the youths who will be promised a lot of things in exchange for the support. We don't want that. It's bad for the party. It destroys the party. To the senior officials we say to you stop it, stop it, stop it. I am borrowing the phrase from Amai (Grace) Mugabe. It destroys us."

Mugabe said he was aware of the shenanigans of those canvassing to succeed him.

He said principled and straightforward leaders would be rewarded at the next congress.

"We do not want to continue fighting for positions before the time (congress) has arrived. Do not count chicks before they are hatched. Musavhiya mhuka yamusati mabata, kurodza mapanga kuti ini ndichazotora bandauko, ini ndichazotora chidya, no we want peace. Let's wait for the time. It's certainly coming," Mugabe said.

He said many people were surprised with the success recorded last year at the youth league-organised one-million-man march.

Mugabe, who frequently visits Singapore for medical check-ups, also said many people, including his detractors, were puzzled by his level of fitness.

"The one-million-man march was a surprise to the whole nation. It also surprised even those in Sadc and the whites that the person we thought is finished, this is what he is. I put my hands in my pocket and said yes this is what I still am," he said.

Mugabe said many people say a lot of things about him just because of his advanced age, insisting he was still fit to perform his job like a youth.

Mugabe also announced plans to expropriate 70 white-owned farms in Mashonaland East, which he alleged were previously being protected by former provincial governor Ray Kaukonde.

He said the government would subdivide the farms for the benefit of the youths.

Mugabe left the crowd in stitches when he revealed the promiscuous behaviour of his lieutenants in government. He said the majority of his Cabinet ministers had gone through embarrassing divorces more than once, while others had "small houses".