Mugabe speaks about retiring

PRESIDENT Mugabe says he has used his time in office to fend off the West's spirited machinations to destroy Zanu-PF and the ideals the party stands for, and if he is to retire he will do so "properly".

The President said Zimbabwe had defeated these attempts at destabilising Zimbabwe, and any change in Government would follow legal and democratic processes. President Mugabe said this at a meeting with war collaborators, ex-detainees, ex-restrictees, widows of fallen heroes, non-combatant cadres and war victims affiliated to Zanu-PF in Harare yesterday.

"Kana ndichikanganisa mondiudza (kuti) ndakanganisa, I will go," he said. "We are in a critical time yeregime change.

"Kuti tikuturwe nemabhunu vachiti we want to change the Government of Zimbabwe, yatakarwira kudaro tese tikaita ziya, dikita, tikayambuka manzizi? Haaaa, ndakati aiwa.

"The British, Americans vakabatana . . . but I think we have defeated them. Saka change inouyaka zvakanaka. If I have to retire, let me retire properly; vanhu vogarawo pasi zvakanaka, kwete zvekuenderana kun'anga zvanga zvichiita mai ava (Joice Mujuru) vatisiya ava vachiita Zimbabwe (People) First. Ah, zvinenge zvisina kunaka."

President Mugabe said he was aware of the G40 and Lacoste factions that were angling to succeed him.

"Ngatiumbeyi musangano wedu zvakanaka . . . Zvino zvirikuitwa nevakuru hapana asingazvizive. Ko, makazvipa mazita ekuti G40, vana locust, Lacoste? Ah, ruzhinji rwevanhu havambozvibata izvozvo. Ngatitererei gwara, gwara, gwara. Corruption iriko, neku-party. Ku party hameno vanhu varikufana varonga succession, hanzi kamudhara ikaka kachafa rinhiko?

Karikuramba kufa. Kakachera kupiko? Ko ndinofirei? Ndinofireyi kana Mwari asati ada kuti chiuya? Ko ndirikutadza here nhai vakomana?"

He warned against successionist politics, saying those who are plotting to succeed him should rather redirect their energies to working for development.

The President took a swipe at Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa and his executives at the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association for misleading war vets, and reminded former freedom fighters that "politics leads the gun".

He said Ambassador Mutsvangwa, who was expelled from Cabinet and Zanu-PF, deserved his punishment for being an unremorseful rogue.

"Tese ngative negwara rimwe chete. Hatidi vanozotsauka . . . sezvakaita hama dzedu dzeku ma war veterans; tinoranga ka," said the President. "Kana wakambopihwa warning, wozoramba uchirovadundundu uchiti party ngaitoita zvandinoda; ndozvinoita izvozvo mu war veteran? Wakabva kupi iwe? Hauna kubva muchizvara che Zanu ne Zapu.

"Mainzi politics leads the gun; unotevera here vatungamiriri ve musungano? Ah, no. Oda kumira uchiti tsvanyara, tafungaidzwa, even being insulted. Mati mazvinzwa zvinobva kumoromo wemunhu akafundiswa mu Zanu-PF izvozvo?

Urikurunyiwa nani? Nana Blair? Ah tinongoti hameno zvapinda matiri. Isusu tinongoramba takabatana, vanonzwisisa."

President Mugabe said he would continue to reach out to war veterans and other non-military cadres who contributed to the liberation struggle. "We are men of the people. I am a man of the people, ma interests enyu ndiwaya. Ava vakomana ava, you see nokuti ndovandaive navo kuhondo ndinongo ramba ndakati navo. Vamwe vachiti hava retaye here?

"Tinoziva kwatiri kuendaka vakomana. Tinosungirwa kuona kuti musangano wedu wakamira kuti twii nokuti shure uku hakuna ma war veterans akawanda akubva neku defence, kana arikubva neku police, kana arikubva neku civil service. Ava mashoma."

President Mugabe said Government was committed to improving the welfare of war veterans and others who contributed to the Second Chimurenga, with authorities working on a cocktail of measures to cater for their needs.

"Asi zvichemo zvenyu zvikuru tichati tobatsirana. Tichada kuti tione nevatungamiriri kuti hapana here zvatingaite," he said.

"Tinokwanisa, definitely, to get a mine, even two mines dzatinoita kuita set aside . . . gold is quicker and also highly valued.

Tinokwanisa definitely to get a mine or even two mines."

President Mugabe pledged to meet the Widows of Fallen Heroes this week to discuss their welfare and other issues.

"Ma widows, vazhinji havasati vakurisa, but all the same vari entitled kuti vachengeterwe mari and ivo pachavo vapihwewo ma allowances," he said. "Shirikadzi dzandareva idzi tichasangana nadzo ipo pasvondo ririkuuya iri, but toronga nekuona kuti chii chavakapihwa, chii chavasina kupihwa; ndevapi vane ma professions, vakanyanyo funda maningi; ndezvipi zvavangakwanisa kuita."

President Mugabe said as an ex-detainee himself, he sympathised with Zilwaco members, and called on the Finance Ministry to ensure their children's school fees were paid. The meeting was attended by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, and Cabinet Ministers Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Dr Ignatius Chombo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Miriam Chikukwa.

Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga; Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-Gen Phillip Valerio Sibanda; Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri; Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner-General Rtd Major-Gen Paradzai Zimondi; Police Deputy Comm-Gen Levi Sibanda, CIO director general Happyton Bonyongwe and senior Government officials also attended the meeting.