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PRESIDENT Mugabe has warned British High Commissioner Mr Brian Donnelly that the Government would expel him if he continued interfering in the affairs of the country by helping the MDC stage illegal and violent demonstrations. Addressing a rally in Nyakomba in Nyanga, Cde Mugabe said the Government would not standby while the MDC called for violent demonstrations and stayaways sponsored by the British. He said the MDC received funding from Britain to stage last week’s failed protest marches to unseat him and the Government and Mr Donnelly helped organise the demonstrations. "If he continues doing it we will kick him out of this country," Cde Mugabe said. Last week the British High Commission exposed its part in the demonstrations when its spokeswoman Ms Sophie Honey revealed to The Herald that the MDC would appeal against a High Court order barring it from organising the mass action when the opposition party’s lawyers were still considering whether to lodge an appeal. Cde Mugabe was speaking on the fourth leg of a countrywide tour to assess developmental projects, recovery from the drought, the state of Zanu-PF and explain the role of the Presidential Land Review Committee. The President said the protest marches were declared illegal by the High Court and the Government would not have folded its hands while the MDC defied the law. "We hope they have learnt their lesson. If they haven’t they will learn it the hard way . . . the harder way." Cde Mugabe said previously, the Government had allowed the MDC to organise demonstrations in the spirit of promoting democracy but each time the opposition held demonstrations, they turned violent. "Enough is enough," he said, reiterating that governments were not changed through stayaways, which he said succeeded only in destroying the economy. President Mugabe said there was no place for white commercial farmers who destabilised the country and the land reform programme. This was after he had been told by the Government and Zanu-PF leadership in Manicaland that Mr Roy Bennet whose farm was designated for resettlement was disrupting operations of newly-resettled farmers. Mr Bennet, the MDC MP for Chimanimani, was said to be claiming that his farm should not have been designated because it had an Export Processing Zone status. Another farmer in the area a Mr de Klerk was inviting new farmers to his farm for purported training workshops as a strategy to help the MDC penetrate the rural areas ahead of the 2005 parliamentary elections. "These whites are not deserving cases in regards to land allocation because they are destabilising our society. They are supporting a party pursuing an illegal course to power. If they have any land left we will take it." Cde Mugabe commended the people of Manicaland for voting for Zanu-PF in recent council elections after having shunned the party in the 2000 parliamentary polls. "We had been surprised by your behaviour in the 2000 elections because as a people who bore the brunt of the liberation struggle by losing many of your children in the war, we expect you to remain loyal to the party. "Yes you might be frustrated by economic hardships but you mustn’t forget the suffering you went through to gain the independence, which you must guard jealously." Before the rally, President Mugabe toured Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme which was established in 1997 with help from Japan. The scheme has 529 farmers who grow beans, wheat, maize and paprika throughout the year. The farmers are expected to earn $483 million from crops, which are currently under irrigation. One of the farmers Mr Patrick Nyanhongo said he farms three times ayear, growing maize, wheat, beans and paprika. In the period from October last year to September this year, he expects to have earned $2,5 million after deducting costs, giving him average monthly earnings of $204 000. President Mugabe hailed the farmers and pledged that Government would help set up the two remaining blocks of the scheme, which were shelved after aid from Japan was stopped. "I have been impressed by what I saw. We should intensify irrigation and learn from other countries such as Israel that have highly developed irrigation schemes." The Governor for Manicaland Cde Oppah Muchinguri said the Government had begun fulfilling the promises it made in the run-up to the presidential election. She said five chiefs out of the 30 in the province had had their homes electrified while one chief had a borehole drilled at his home. Cde Muchinguri said some areas in the province would continue to require food aid because of poor harvests. Cde Mugabe said Government would continue to help those in need of food. Cde Muchinguri said the Government should repay the faith the people of Chipinge showed by voting for Zanu-PF in local government elections, by allocating them land. Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Cde Mike Madiro said the party was now stronger in the province than it was before the 2000 parliamentary elections. He said the party was poised to win forthcoming council and mayoral elections in Rusape and Mutare. President Mugabe urged the party leadership to ensure structures were maintained and remain united. He called on party members to rally behind Cde Ellen Gwaradzimba who will represent Zanu-PF in the Mutare mayoral elections. Chief Hata said traditional leaders would remain solidly behind President Mugabe and urged the Government to establish traditional leadership structures in resettlement areas. President Mugabe was also informed that more people in Manicaland needed land and he said the resettlement programme was an on-going exercise. He urged people in Manicaland to co-operate with the Land Review Committee set up to review the land reform programme and make necessary recommendations. The
Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
