Zimbabwe’s embattled 84 year old president Robert Mugabe increasingly under pressure from the international community to step down, as the country’s economic and social fortunes continue on a downturn has reiterated that the country is under siege from western countries, particularly led by Britain and America, determined to effect illegal regime change.
Speaking Tuesday morning at the National Heroes Acre, at the burial of the late retired army major, Gordon Sibanda, who died last week and declared a national liberation war her, Mugabe urged mourners to “remain steadfast” as the country is under threat from enemies bend on reversing revolutionary gains.
“We are at that critical juncture, at that very critical stage where the country is under siege from its enemies who are fighting day and night to effect regime change here and who believe quite foolishly though that government is about to fall.”
“Let us therefore be very vigilant in order to thwart their evil machinations. We must not allow them to divide us.”
The geriatric leader particularly picked on the United States of America, which Sunday said they are pulling out their support of the government of national unity in Zimbabwe citing Mugabe as an obstacle. US assistant of state for African affairs, Jendayi Fraser told journalists in Pretoria South Africa that to allow Mugabe to continue as president in the unity government would be allowing a man, “who has lost it, who is losing his mind, and who is out of touch with reality” in power.
Mugabe scoffed at the stance by the Bush administration saying the unity government does not include them and that their behavior is the “last kicks of a dying horse.”
“Lately we have heard increasing voices from the west, particularly from Britain and America advocating the removal of the government of Zimbabwe through unconstitutional means.”
“Two days ago, the American administration declared that it was no longer supporting the process of an inclusive government, announcing they will not go along with it (unity government) as long as President Mugabe remains part of it.”
“Were they (Bush administration) ever part of it. The inclusive government does not include Mr. Bush and his administration. It doesn’t even know him…..who are they to decide who should or should not be included in an inclusive government. Our government. We realize these are the last kicks of a dying horse. We obviously are not going to pay attention to a sunset administration,” he said.
Turning to the economy that has been in the doldrums for close to a decade now, President Mugabe reiterated Saturday’s statement at his party’s annual conference in Bindura that his government will soon formulate an “Economic Revolutionary Council” as a strategy to address the “economic challenges brought by sanctions from the west.”
“Zimbabwe’s gains lies in the hands of Zimbabweans….They are the ones who should shape and champion their own destination…This is why as government we are working on another blueprint economic turnaround which takes cognizance of the abnormal times we are going through,’ said Mugabe.
If implemented critics say the move would likely see the nationalisation of key sectors of the economy as mining and manufacturing, just as done to the controversial land reform programme, which has witnessed serious decline in agricultural production since its inception.
