Mugabe blasts opposition

Opposition parties and pressure groups thinking Zimbabwe is ripe for uprisings and hoping outside forces will intervene to topple Government are dreaming, President Mugabe has said.

Addressing the 103rd Zanu-PF Central Committee meeting in Harare yesterday, the President said opposition elements, led by the MDC-T, had adopted a policy of violence in a bid to create a false electoral crisis and avoid elections in 2018.

President Mugabe said Government's patience had run out and no one should cry foul when the law descended heavily on those causing mayhem.
"The demonstrations we have witnessed in the last few weeks were not by accident of history, but were purposefully choreographed and launched in the mistaken belief that time was ripe for a popular uprising against Government," he said.

"Let the opposition parties and all those angling for chaos, mayhem and violent demonstrations be warned that our patience has run out.

Government will take very strong measures against any political party, organisation or individuals that perpetrate violent demonstrations.''

President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, said Zimbabwe was an independent State and no foreigner would be allowed to interfere in its affairs.

"The call for outsiders does not seem to come to an end," he said.

"Vana (Morgan) Tsvangirai (MDC-T leader) think that there is room for outsiders to come and rescue them from the situations of their having been rejected by the people. No outsiders, no matter what magic or money that outsider may have, can rescue them from the rejection that the people have passed on them. The people don't want them anymore. Boyfriend, your girlfriend has rejected you, she doesn't want you anymore. Do you call outsiders? Once the heart has turned against you that's it. That's the end of it."

The President added: "The banner National Electoral Reforms Agenda (Nera) which they have used as a pretext to resort to violent demonstrations is quite clearly a smokescreen of their real intentions. Deep in their minds, they want to avoid going to the general elections in 2018 by creating a false electoral crisis which, they hope would be addressed ahead of any plebiscite by outsiders."

President Mugabe said by burning property, looting shops and attacking innocent people, MDC-T and its allies were "playing a dangerous game."

"Do not cry foul saying there is no democracy in the country," he said.

"Democracy doesn't allow people to go on a spree, looting and burning people's property, beating others wantonly. We are there to defend proper democracy which has to do with peace, non-violence and stability. If we take actions which are painful, they have only themselves to blame. Most of them have never been to jail to experience the conditions there."

President Mugabe said elections in Zimbabwe were the hallmark of democracy and all of them had been held following the dictates of the Constitution.

"We have an independent electoral commission that runs our elections and it has performed commendably," he said.

"The electoral processes are accountable to our own people, who are entitled to vote for candidates and parties of their choice. When the people decide on the political party that should govern them, so be it. That does not require foreigners. There is no reason to believe that the 2018 elections should be regarded as different. They think we will go back to the Government of National Unity. We will never again Mr Tsvangirai!"

President Mugabe said Government acknowledged the economic challenges facing the people but would never allow the situation to be worsened by the violent demonstrations.

"What is happening around us with these demonstrations is distracting us from progressing on with our concerted efforts aimed at improving the performance of our national economy and the welfare of our people," he said.

"Our economy has been quite resilient against the Western sanctions onslaught and it cannot get any worse than it already is."

President Mugabe said using social media to cause instability would not be tolerated.

"Political support should not be by coercion on social media platforms, where messages of hate, violence and terror against Government institutions and law enforcement agencies abound," he said.

"We also understand that they are planning to terrorise the rural areas in the mistaken believe that they can intimidate and harass our supporters. Let them be warned. They cannot win that war'.'

On party members abusing social media he said: "What have you scored apart from demonstrating to yourself that you lack discipline?"

President Mugabe said the increasing indiscipline being exhibited by some party members was undermining the party.

"Such indiscipline distracts the party from focusing on rallying our people against the common enemy.

"Instead of turning our guns at the common enemy we turn the same guns against ourselves. We should focus on fully empowering our people, who should also fully utilise the natural resources our country is richly endowed with. We should all work towards the success of Zim-Asset, our economic blueprint," he said.