20110204
the herland

THE Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security or any other organisation cannot dictate how Zimbabwe should run its internal affairs, President Mugabe has said.

This follows attempts by MDC-T to push Sadc mediator to the parties in the inclusive Government, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, to craft an election roadmap for Zimbabwe.

Said President Mugabe: "Any organisation, body or group of persons that is established by the Troika or Sadc should not prescribe to us what to do.

"A facilitator is a facilitator and should facilitate dialogue between Zimbabweans by way of persuasion.

"That is the best he can do. He cannot prescribe that we do A, B, C, D. We prescribe to ourselves to do A, B, C, D in accordance with our own laws.

"MDC-T think that Sadc or AU can tell us how we can do our business or how to implement what we have agreed.

"We are a sovereign State and as a sovereign State we don't accept any interference and even our neighbours should not tell us what to do."

President Mugabe told the 84th Ordinary Session of the Zanu-PF Central Committee in Harare yesterday that if people rejected a draft constitution currently being worked on, Zimbabwe would still have elections under the Lancaster House constitution.

MDC-T has tried to push elections to May next year citing unsubstantiated claims of political violence in Zimbabwe.

President Mugabe said the claims were flimsy and instead urged Zanu-PF members to organise party structures in preparation for general elections

"We have a new constitution being formulated. The process is slow, but we would want to see at the end of the day whether the draft constitution is going to be accepted by the people.

"If accepted, well, then we proceed to elections and if people reject it, we then go to elections on the basis of the old constitution. We should be ready for the outcome, but being ready for the outcome is another story and preparing for it is another story.

"We should not be found wanting, let's organise the party so that by the time elections come we will be ready.

"Tsvangirai complained to Sadc about elections and violence . . . I asked them which country is free of that conflict. Zambia here, we are the same. In any third world or developing country, there are always conflicts but you don't judge them on that," he said.

President Mugabe said Zimbabwe was a sovereign state and should determine its decisions with foreigners only coming in as friends.

Once the constitution-making process was concluded, President Mugabe said, there would be no reason why Zimbabwe could not go to general elections this year.

On the recent election to choose a Speaker, President Mugabe said it was disturbing that some party members voted for a rival candidate.

He said no one was coerced to join Zanu-PF and no one was forced to remain in the party.

Buanews

President Robert Mugabe, seen welcoming President Jacob Zuma on a past visit, is now unhappy with what his regional counterparts are saying.

"You are the people whom we trust. Most MPs are leaders of the party in one way or the other, and we don't expect that from you.

"If you do not listen to the party leadership, who will you listen to in the future anyway? Let's be true to ourselves and be principled.

"We must cherish our principles because they make you what you are and we should stand by what we consider to be right. Ko wakambonzi nani pinda muZanu-PF? Ko chiendaka kwaTsvangirai kwacho.

"Tinenge tichitarisira kuti ukawana musikana weMDC, achapinduka kwete kuti wotorwa woendwa newe."

He said Zanu-PF members should remain true to the party and avoid being influenced to make decisions against the party.