EDITORS NOTE: It is true that Mugabe is another bloodsucking African dictator. But the British are worse. They have done more harm to Zimbabawe, and Africa, in general, than 100 Mugabes could possible have done. Take a look at what they are doing in Ethiopia and Somalia through their mercenaries Meles Zenawi and Abdullahi Yusuf [See this]. ER is not the only one that is saying this. Just watch this video in which a British Member of Parliament makes the same argument.
HARARE (By Cris Chinaka, Reuters) — Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was quoted on Sunday as saying he would be willing to hand power to a ruling party ally when he was sure the country was safe from “sellouts” and from British interference.
But the state-run Sunday Mail newspaper said he gave no time-frame and again vowed to stop the opposition from ending his rule, which Britain’s foreign secretary David Miliband described as sadism.
Mugabe, 84, is fighting for re-election in a June 27 run-off against Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The opposition leader won the first round in March but not with enough votes to take the presidency.
The veteran Zimbabwean leader, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, has threatened to go to war to stop a Tsvangirai victory.
The Mail said Mugabe told a rally on Saturday that his “leadership was prepared to relinquish power to those (ZANU-PF officials) that uphold the country’s (independence) legacy”.
“This country cannot be sold at the stroke of a pen,” he added, repeating a vow not to let the MDC, whom he has branded as British puppets, rule the country.
The Mail said Mugabe urged supporters to concentrate on defending his government’s land nationalisation and black economic empowerment policies, and not on complaints by what he called “sellouts” that ZANU-PF has been in power for too long.
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, once one of Africa’s most prosperous, has collapsed, and shortages of bread, milk and meat are common. Inflation is 165,000 percent and unemployment 80 percent.
“We are the custodians of Zimbabwe’s legacy. We will pass this on to those we know are fully aware of the party’s ideology, those who value the country’s legacy,” the newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying.
“I WILL NOT GROW OLD”
Mugabe has previously said he did not want to name an heir over fears he or she would become a target of other officials nursing ambitions to succeed him as ZANU-PF leader.
The president gave no timetable for his possible retirement and added: “But as long as the British still want to come here, I will not grow old; until we know we no longer have sellouts among us.”
Mugabe this week threatened that he and his independence war veterans will take up arms again to stop the MDC taking power.
The MDC and rights groups say ZANU-PF have launched a brutal campaign of violence which has killed at least 66 MDC activists, wounded hundreds others and displaced tens of thousands since the March 29 election.
Britain’s Miliband said South Africa had a responsibility to do more to bring pressure on its neighbour, and condemned the violence that has marred the run-up to the election.
“The first thing is to be clear about the sadism, and I use that word advisedly, that’s going on … in Zimbabwe,” he told BBC television.
“People being killed, people being tortured, people being beaten. Election observers being stripped out, election officials being stripped out.”
The African Union expressed concern over reported violence and said it planned to send “a sizable” team of observers to monitor the run-off poll.
Tsvangirai says he is confident of victory despite the intimidation campaign in which he has been detained several times this month. (Additional reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse in Addis Ababa, editing by Gordon Bell)
7 thoughts on “Mugabe says ready to hand power to a party faithful”
I sympathize with Mr. Mugabe not for what he is doing. But, I refuse to believe anybody or organization which is actively supported by US andUK, like the MDC appears to be. He is the lesser of the two evils. I would take Robert Mugabe over Morgan Tsvangirai. The sad thing is the west is probably going to make life even harder for Zimbabwe with Mugabe in power. Sad but true.
Why isn’t the west especially Brittain putting the same kind of pressure on Ethiopia? Britain’s Miliband said among other things that
“People being killed, people being tortured, people being beaten. Election observers being stripped out, election officials being stripped out.”
Shame on Milliband!!! the same thing happened in Ethiopia but have you have to look the other way, hah? Why? No earthly power can give or take what is theirs in the fisrt place. Mugabe is the worst leader and he should be removed from power before he brings down his people but those who seem to care about Zimbabewans should care about others with the same zeal and remove Meles Zenawi, your darling while you are at it.
I think in democracy, the person who wins the general election gets the presidency; therefore, the Zimbabwe people have the right whom to elect as their next president. Mugabe has no right what so ever to give power to his Zanu-PF. If he does, he is setting a bad example for the rest of the African nations that are still struggling to get out of the hands of their oppressive dictators.
The British are worried about sadism in Zimbabwe, that is something new, they only support those who kill and maim for the colonial interests, guys like Melles are “good dictators”, as president Nixon once put it “he is our son of a bitch”. So to me no matter what people say Mugabe is right and any Zimbabwean who is supported by the British is wrong. The British have two interests in Zimbabwe, to keep the whites of Zimbabwe wealthy and the Africans poor and also exploit Zimbabwe’s natural resources cheaply.
The only reason they are crying dictator is not because Mugabe is killing his own people for no reason but because he hit them where it hurts and doesn’t rely on their handouts anymore. Ethiopians have a lesson to learn here. No western style democracy will ever work in Africa because Africans in every country are multi ethnic so political parties will be ethnically based no matter what kind of catchy name they are given. Thank god Shaebia reconized this early and rejected western copy cat democracy that only serves foreign interests and their puppets like Melles. Ethiopians need to unite under one organization that trully represents all of Ethiopia’s ethnic groups and stop fantasazing about western style democracy which will not put food on the table, give educational opportunities or health care for the people.
What is the difference between Mengistu, Meles, Mugabe, and Hitler? To me Mengistu, Mugabe, and Hitler are bloodsuckers that has had killed many innocent civilians just to stay in power until they are forced to be removed from power. But meles is worst than all these dictators due to the fact that he is also a bloodsucker that has killed million civilians and exposed the entire country for endless problems including famine, unemployment and poverty. In addition to that Meles is very exceptional dictator that has stood up in front of the United Nation to sell out his country and has been given away Ethiopia’s land for any foreign layman that has been asking Ethiopia’s land to be included in their country including Sudan and Eritrea. On top of all these Meles is the only dictators that has invaded Somalia a neighborhood country and has been abusing, harassing and killing aside from the daily atrocities that he is actively performing in Ethiopia using his damn idiot members and friends of TPLF ( weyane). There fore the only way to remove weyane led by damn Meles is using power as his best brothers removed i.e. Mengistu and Hitler. As Mugabe as well. ARE WE ALL WAITING MELES TO BE RUNNING IN THE SO CALLED FACK ELECTION IN HIS 80’S. WHICH HE WILL SINCE HE COVERED HIS STATUS BY SAYING “AS LONG AS MY PARTY WANTS ME.”GOBEZ LETS ORGANIZE OUR SELEVES AND STOP THIS IDIOT MELES AND HIS TPLF GANGESTERS FROM CONTINOUSLY ABUSING OUR NATION. SO JOIN GINBOT 7 OR ANY OTHER PARTY TO ULTIMATILY ACCOMPLISH OUR WISH.
mugabe should not give the political poweer to USA’s and UK’s puppet party like MDC. Britain and USA are crying day and night about democracy in Zimbabawe as if they have good heart for Africa’s ppl. But the main reasons why they are crying about Zimbabawians , because Mr Mugabe has taken the land from the white feudals and distributed among landless Zimbabawians . That made them crazy.They want to keep the feudal system even after Zimbabawe’s independance from britain’s colony Sop mr Mugabe should give power for the trustfull party of person. We, Ethiopians have got good lesson from Britain and USA.All bloody dicators like Melese are the close friends of Britain and USA. So nobody give any credite for britain’s and USA’s crying for democracy in Zimbabawe is the same as crocodiule tear
I am saddened by this hypocrisy among African brothers and sisters specially those in Diaspora. In the one hand they preach about democracy, human right and the sanctity of human life on the other they side with butchers and despots like Mugabe. It looks like the old and bankrupt excuse of accusing the west for any ills in Africa is helping to sustain some of mad leaders. To me No Amount of justification and blame game can change the fact that thousands of Zimbabwean people are perishing and Mugabe is solely responsible for that.
It is a fact of life, more so in the current atmosphere of globalization, that every country must fend for itself and do everything possible to protect its interest some times to the detriment of others. It is therefore expected that countries/peoples take full responsibility for their own affairs. No use crying foul every time one is cornered because of its own failure. Blaming UK, US and the west, which I would say is very common among African dictators, for the problems brewed within our countries. It also baffles me when those who are given shelters by the accused, who ran away from the problems back home and enjoying the relative peace and democracy in those countries, are the ones very vocal about it all. If they really think these countries are the enemies of their own people, why then are they staying in those countries? Why can’t they come back to their beloved countries and correct the ills the enemies caused?
Africa should be able to take responsibility for its destiny! It is now more than half a century since we defeated colonialism but still blaming others for our failure, for our economic misfortune, political instability and every social ill. I call this inferiority complex!! No offence intended though.
If what our despotic leaders and their cronies were right and that the West is so powerful to stop every countries’ progress, I would argue, that the Tiger Economies of the east would have been like that of ours, in shambles. Fortunately Not So!! Impressive progress made by Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, etc., is a case in point. Few decades back the GDPs of these countries were at par or less than that of Kenya, DRC, Ethiopia, etc. Look at where they are now!
Only the truth can heal Africa!
Selam