Gweru, Zimbabwe-Election campaigns for the March 29, 2008 harmonised plebiscite to choose Zimbabwe's President, parliamentarians, senators and councillors reach a climax as 11 days are left for the polls to take place.
It is the contest for the presidential seat however, which has brought a lot of interest in this election. There are four candidates vying for presidency, Mr Robert Mugabe of the ruling Zanu PF party, opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, Independent candidate and former Zanu PF politburo member and former Finance Minister, Dr. Simba Makoni and little known Mr. Langton Towungana. The main race however is on Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Makoni.
Mr. Mugabe has been in power for 28 years since Zimbabwe gained political independence from Britain in 1980. The country is facing the worst economic crisis, with inflation at a world record high of more than 100 000 percent. The populace is restless as they struggle to survive in this economic quagmire, close to a decade now. There are no basic commodities on the formal market. There are commodities readily available on the parallel market at exorbitant prices, which far outweigh workers’ meager earnings. Zimbabweans look out with hope that maybe after this election, there might be some relief.
President Robert Mugabe seeks re-election when he addresses his supporters at Mkoba stadium today. It is in this stadium that MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, addressed his supporters three days ago. Gweru in general and Mkoba House of Assembly constituency in particular, is an MDC stronghold. Mr Mugabe says it does not help to support MDC as there are no benefits for that.
"We know most of you here have gone to the side of MDC. But what does it help you to support MDC. If you want you can remain in MDC but you will get nothing.
'Zanu PF is going to win this election and it will win with a wide margin. Zanu PF is a party that empowers the people. We have indigenised the mines and factories. We are giving these implements (ploughs, harrows, scotch-carts donated at this rally) and tractors to till the land are on the way. We are empowering our people. Empowerment does not come from MDC. MDC will never rule this country. It is impossible. We are therefore urging you to come and join the force that is in power (Zanu PF). That power should be shown to the British on March 29. That Zimbabweans are united. They refuse to be puppets of the British. They can't return land to the whites."
Mr. Mugabe says Zimbabwe can only be led by those who fought for its liberation. He accuses all those in opposition for being "puppets" of the former coloniser, Britain. He castigates Tsvangirai for having "no history" in the liberation of the country.
"Tsvangirai came from the Trade Union. The trade union did not bring liberation to this country. It is Zanu PF which did so. Can you honestly tell me that Tsvangirai can lead this country. He decided to run away on his way to join other liberation fighters.
'This country belongs both to those who fought for it and those who did not. But you should know who fought for it. Some come and say we want to lead this country. But coming with who-with those who yesterday fought against us, just because they have money.
'Howard (John)(former Australian Prime Minister) admitted he gave 18 million Australian dollars to the MDC for regime change. They fought against us yesterday, now they come and try to effect regime change."
Mr Mugabe alleges MDC "intends to return farms to whites", an allegation Tsvangirai dismissed 3 days ago addressing a rally at this same place. Tsvangirai said it is the "seizure" of prime agricultural land from the minority white farmers done haphazardly since 2000, which has brought food shortages in this Southern African country. He insists a "well planned" land redistribution programme could have worked. Mugabe, however says the food shortages are a result of drought. He says "land shall ever remain in the hands of the people." "Without land you can't be a human being," he says.
Mr Mugabe blames the country's economic woes on "sanctions" imposed by Western countries led by Britain. Western countries, however say the sanctions are targeted against Mugabe and his followers and not against ordinary Zimbabweans.
"Because of these sanctions, we can't buy machinery from Britain and they (the British) have influenced others such as Germany. We can't access international loans from banks for international trade.
'These are not sanctions for Mugabe or Munangagwa (Zanu PF Secretary for legal affairs). They are affecting the ordinary people. Britain even go to our friends like China to influence them not to support us, to Libya not to sell fuel to us. That's how evil and how devilish the British are. They pretend they are doing nothing. They are even proposing to introduce sanctions in sports. They want to sanction even soccer players.
'They will come a time when we will retaliate against the British in this country. We have many British companies here and they are making a lot of money and we are leaving them. But if they continue doing so we reach a point we say this far and no further," he says.
The 84-year-old president also comically dismissed Dr Simba Makoni's political ambitions.
"Some just wake up and impose themselves on the people. He says I am Simba Makoni. My party is Simba Makoni. If you ask him, what is your congress, he says Simba Makoni. So he came from Simba Makoni and was chosen by Simba Makoni. Everything is Simba Makoni, Simba Makoni.
'Democracy is about being chosen by the people. You can't choose yourself," he says.
