'China pledges shame the West,' says Mugabe

President Mugabe yesterday said pledges made by China during his recent visit have shamed those Western nations that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe in vain efforts to effect regime change.

Mugabe was speaking at the installation of Chiefs Bepere and Chidziva at Murombedzi Growth Point in Zvimba.

"We were in China a few weeks ago and the Chinese promised us help with our various programmes, agriculture or road construction but now we must draw up project proposals and they will help us.

"So they thought we did not have friends and placed sanctions just because we reclaimed our land from their kin. Let them know that we still have friends.

"Anyway our best friends are our people. Our best friends are our supporters who remain steadfast such that their machinations are to no avail," he said.

Zimbabwe signed nine deals with China where the global giant committed itself to fund viable infrastructure projects in agriculture, transport and communications, roads and railways and energy among others.

China also provided a grant for construction of schools and clinics in resettlement areas.

President Mugabe said the support he continued to receive from Zimbabweans spurred him in defending indigenous Zimbabweans' right to their land and resources.

He said most Western leaders were afraid of him because of his stance on the country's sovereignty and right to self-determination.

"So it's your support, that support, small as I am that the Obamas are afraid of. They invited all the other leaders but said Mugabe must not come. I ask myself but why? Long back at such meetings they were elusive.

"I don't kill and I am not a witch but your support makes me strong and I will always be by your side. They want a weak leader whom they can intimidate until he bows to their wishes. That will never happen. Don't they have roots? The English who were here should go back to England, what is their problem? There are planes now that can take them faster than ever before!" he said.

He warned Zimbabweans against entering into partnerships with white former commercial farmers, saying most of them harboured intentions to return.

"Stop inviting these whites back. They will bring tractors and before you know it they don't want to leave. This is happening but it's a dangerous, dangerous arrangement which we do not want. If it is contract farming with legitimate companies that is alright but not to allow every white man.

"Some of these whites left with the hopes of returning, leaving their workers telling them they would be back. The workers believed them. We have that information and it is not pleasing," President Mugabe said.

He also said there was need to complete changing colonial names that still existed in some parts of the country.

"This province was called Lomagundi, how insulting. The white man did not want to pronounce our names properly. They misspelt all our names Makonde, Lomagundi; Chinhoyi, Sinoia; what's that? Makwiro were the hills of Makwira but they named them Makwiro.

"So our books need to be changed. We changed some of these names like Chinhoyi, Makonde but some remain unchanged," he said.

Turning to the newly installed chiefs, President Mugabe urged them to use their offices wisely and not to pursue personal interests at the expense of the wider community.

He said the chieftainship was not for the benefit of their families alone, but for every person in their jurisdiction.

"Unite the people not to just respect the house with the chieftaincy. Equality must be practised. Don't have the tendency to single out the Gushungo as more important than other t otems.

"When people vote for me it's not only the Gushungos but the whole country from the Tongas, Manyikas, Ndebeles, Karangas all come out in my support as President of the country," he said.

He warned senior civil servants not to resettle people clandestinely without the knowledge of the local leadership and also urged people to start preparing for the coming farming season

The President had the crowd in laughter when he narrated how his parents got married.

"My father came from Zvimba while my mother was from Chishawasha and she was of the Madyirapanze clan of Gutu. They met at the Mission (Kutama).

They were just told that they were husband and wife. Your wife or husband was chosen for you and you had no say.

"Now today's young people want to choose partners for themselves – checking the structure, legs. That was not the norm then. Your husband or wife was chosen for you after careful consideration. Had it not been the custom I would not have been born," President Mugabe said.

Earlier on President Mugabe officially unveiled earth-moving equipment that include a tractor fitted with a grass mower, a bowser, dumper, graders and a tipper bought by Zvimba District Council from the $10 million donated by Zimplats to the Zvimba-Mhondoro-Ngezi Community Share Ownership Trust.