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Mugabe: I am Not a Dictator
By Lovemore Chikova
President Mugabe says he is not a dictator but is being smeared by Western countries because of the land reform programme that addressed colonial injustices through dispossessing white farmers of excess land.
Speaking in separate interviews with Kyodo News, NHK News and Asahi Shimbun newspaper, all of Japan, yesterday, the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said Zimbabwe has followed the tenets of democracy since independence.
“They say I am a dictator because we took land from the Europeans,” President Mugabe said. “But we had an agreement with the British government that there would be land reform and acquisition.
“We have held elections from day one and every five years we have been holding elections. (Tony) Blair (former British prime minister) said he wanted to appeal to Europe politically by telling them that we were violating democracy, violating human rights and the rule of law. He then appealed to Europe to support him to impose sanctions on us.”
President Mugabe said Zanu-PF stood for people’s rights.
“So, how does one become a dictator when one says we take our land because you do not want to pay compensation, you Mr Blair,” he said.
“We stand for people’s rights and don’t forget the people fought for the land and died for it. We had thousands of people killed in massive bombings. One incident claiming as many as 700 lives. We used to bury them in mass graves in Mozambique and Zambia.”
President Mugabe said he never imprisoned any Briton for political reasons, yet he was imprisoned for 11 years because he was fighting for independence.
He said people would vote freely in the harmonised elections expected on or before July 31.
“There will be no violence,” he said. “We do not want to mete out violence on our people. What for?”
President Mugabe said he would retire when the appropriate time comes.
“You do not talk of retirement when elections are coming, do you?” he said. “You want me to retire? Retirement will come when the occasion demands it. But just now we are going to fight to beat the sanctions and to disgrace the Europeans and the Americans who thought we will collapse.
“Yes, I have thought about retirement, but not when the British are saying we want regime change. I won’t be changed by the British, my people will change me.”
President Mugabe said he would go on as long as Zimbabweans want him to continue.
“I do not retire from their government (Europeans), I am a Zimbabwean serving Zimbabwean people,” he said, “If my people say I must retire, I retire. But they still want me to go on. So, who is saying I must retire? The same enemies who imposed sanctions on me? That’s the more reason why I will not retire and will not die also,’’ he said.
President Mugabe attributed his longevity to strong genes and adherence to a strict exercise regimen.
He said the inclusive Government was not workable, likening it to putting together water and fire.
President Mugabe said the MDC was formed with the help of the British to extinguish the fire of the revolution.
He said Europeans who imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe were being surprised by the country’s resilience.
“People of Europe are surprised why we are still alive,” he said. “They thought we were going to die, all of us, and this ‘monster’ called Robert Mugabe, they announced how many deaths of me? I don’t know now.
“I have ceased to count how many times they have said he has died, but here you are seeing me. I am not a ghost after dying so many times. A ghost of a ghost, of a ghost.”
President Mugabe said he pointed out to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during their bilateral meeting on Saturday that after warming up to Zimbabwe in the early years of independence, Japan had suddenly gone cold.
“I remarked to the Prime Minister that we thought they were being influenced by Europe which had imposed sanctions on us,” he said.
“We didn’t understand why Japan should act in the same way as Europe and even withdrawing some financial grants.”
President Mugabe said Mr Blair, whom he could “not credit with much wisdom” was responsible for misleading other nations about Zimbabwe.
But he said he was not isolated from the world because of the sanctions since Europe did not represent the whole world.
“The world’s two biggest countries China and India, over a billion people each, and the whole of Asia I can visit any country and so its not isolation,” he said.
“What do I have to do with those robbers of Europe? They lived on our natural resources, depended on our gold. Now they have exhausted their natural resources. Africa still has plenty of natural resources and my country still has plenty of natural resources.”
President Mugabe also had courtesy calls from some Japanese organisations and companies at his hotel.
Speaking after meeting him, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation president Hirobumi Kawano said they were interested in bringing minerals exploration equipment to Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe is famous and rich in mineral resources and we want to enhance our cooperation in that area,” he said.
AFRECO president Mr Tetsuro Yano said he held a successful meeting with the President centred on investment in the manufacturing sector.
President Mugabe also met with Kaidaren Committee on Southern Africa chairperson Mr Yutaka Kase and discussed water and sewer reticulation infrastructure issues that need urgent attention.
He later met with Japan-African Parliamentary Friendship League chairperson Mr Ichiro Aizawa.
Posted by
Oscon
June 3, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Wel spoken Big Bob, but some coward Africans wil oppose you nd talk shit as usual.
Kulekwamyo Kapyololo
June 4, 2013 at 1:35 am
Sekuru please, you lost the last election and decided to cling on to power nevertheless. If you aren’t a dictator, then Bokassa was a angel! You are old, please quit now. This thing of snoring through all meetings leaving Zimbabwe unrepresented is most shameful.
truth
June 4, 2013 at 1:42 am
i love he that refuses to be intimidated
Umungulu
June 4, 2013 at 7:01 am
Iwe ci shikulu, can’t you see how your people are suffering due to your stubbornness? You think you are punishing Anglo-American World Power yet you are punishing innocent Zimbabweans. Zwaaaaa!!!
Umungulu
June 4, 2013 at 7:16 am
Fools are praising you for your arrogance against the whites and that has blinded you from the plight of your people. Do you think you can fight a world power (Anglo-American)? Retire and let others revive Zimbabwe. VIVA RETIRE!!! vivaaaaaaa!!!!!!
truth
June 4, 2013 at 10:06 am
most educated man in the world
mali
June 4, 2013 at 11:02 am
Muganyo not Mugabe, get out you fool. sitting on peoples’ happiness, are you the only one with brains ***** old fool. married to your grand daughter.
casim
June 4, 2013 at 11:46 am
Senseless leader, we will remeber you negatively when youdie. foolish old dictator fool. Zimbabwean are just sleeping. that nonsense cant happen in zambia…. Your friend Sata will tell you coz we will not spare him if he brings in that nonsense that he is bringing.
mwewa in South Africa
June 4, 2013 at 12:46 pm
We Zambians should not even be insulting Mugabe. I listened to the interview and what he was saying is true. These Europeans have been plundering our natural resources and we are watching. If we had more African leaders who are as strong as Mugabe, Africa would have developed using its own resources. He pointed out one instance on land issue where he said that it became very difficult to find land to settle the fast growing population and each time the Government went to the white farmers to ask for some piece of land where the people could build houses, the farmers refused to let go even a small portion. This forced the Government to repossess the land which later angered Britain and the MDC. If you ask most Zimbabweans, they like this man I am telling you. I felt very happy when he said he does not need to be praised by the Europeans but by his own people. And mind you, Zimbabwe is doing better than Zambia at the moment. Fuel there is cheaper than in Zambia where there are no sanctions and most of the goods are cheap there.
mukombe
June 4, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Who says you are not a dictator you or us who are affected by your action Bob you are a dictator period. @ Mwewa in South Africa why is Zimbabwe not developed by the way.
mwewa in South Africa
June 4, 2013 at 2:07 pm
@ Mukombe, has Zambia developed? Do we have better road network than Zimbabwe? Do we have better schools and Hospitals than Zimbabwe? What can you point at as development in Zambia which is not there in Zimbabwe? Be factual.
Mpangula Mputyu
June 4, 2013 at 3:07 pm
BOB has managed to drive his economy down, impoverished the once rich Zimbabwe and now he has a worthless currency that he was forced to dump it in to the sea.
He chased the farmers, now the same farmers are feeding him with maize from Zambia where they ran to.
****** or Rubbish Mugabe is the appropriate definition of this useless man.