(Last Updated on August 26, 2013 by Editor)
On security reforms that were meant to precede the polls, he also hit out at Tsvangirai.
HARARE – The disputed Zimbabwe President Mugabe on Sunday sunk his teeth on MDC-T party leader Morgan Tsvangirai in a one sided war of words while addressing mourners at the funeral of Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai, who was the general manager of the National Railways of Zimbabwe in Harare.
Karakadzai was declared a national hero following his death in a car accident early Tuesday.
In his first public speech since Thursday’s swearing-in, he targeted Tsvangirai, his former partner in a shaky power sharing government, as “an ignoramus” and “a lone stray locust”.
This was in reaction to Tsvangirai’s attempt to seek a court’s help to overturn the polls and his calls to rid the security forces of officers allied to Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party.
“I hope our people will never repeat the same mistake and choose an ignoramus when you have bright children who went to university. I wonder what you admire in him,” he said.
On security reforms that were meant to precede the polls, he also hit out at Tsvangirai.
“What sector reform can you a lone stray locust implement? When has the frog aspired to be the crocodile?” he said.
“You are better off with an ignorant person who is conscious of his ignorance. It becomes a problem when you assume your ignorance is wisdom and lead people into trouble.”
The vote ended the pair’s regionally brokered compromise government forced by chaotic 2008 polls.
This time round the electoral commission declared Mugabe the winner with 61 percent of the vote, against 34 percent for Tsvangirai.
Mugabe also threatened to expel foreign-owned companies over what he said was the West’s interference in the politics of the country he has led since 1980.
Mugabe,said he wanted no “ideas from London or Washington,” speaking before supporters at the funeral of Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai, who was the general manager of the National Railways of Zimbabwe in Harare. He warned the Western powers that although his government hasn’t “done anything to your companies, time will come when we will say tit for tat.”
He said: “You hit me, I hit you. We have a country to run and we must be left free to run it.”
Britain, the former colonial power, the European Union and the United States have refused to endorse Mugabe’s landslide victory in the July 31 elections, citing evidence of vote rigging. The Western countries maintain economic restrictions on Mugabe and leaders of his ruling party.
Mugabe insists his party won “a resounding mandate” in the last election and denies allegations of voting fraud. Zimbabwe’s state election panel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Constitutional Court said Mugabe won the July 31 elections with 61 per cent of the presidential vote.
Mugabe, who was sworn in Thursday for another five-year term at the age of 89, said that “there will come a time when we lose our patience” with the West’s pressure for democratic reforms.
“I want to assure you our attitude will not continue to be passive,” Mugabe said Sunday. “We have had enough and enough is enough.”
Since winning another term Mugabe has vowed to push ahead with a black empowerment program to force foreign and white-owned businesses to cede 51 per cent ownership to black Zimbabweans. Some economists warn that the program will trigger another economic downturn, like that Zimbabwe suffered after Mugabe’s government seized white-owned farms in 2000.
Mugabe, on the other hand, says the new economic plan to force black control of companies will create jobs and economic growth that had been hindered by what he called “a tenuous and fraught coalition with uneasy partners” in the opposition led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai had favoured attracting Western investment during the five-year coalition forged by regional leaders after the last disputed elections in 2008.
Mugabe says Britain has opposed black empowerment since he forced thousands of white farmers to surrender their land. Critics of the program say it disrupted Zimbabwe’s agriculture-based economy, shut down industries and scared away foreign investment in mining and other businesses.
Speaking of Karakadzai Mugabe said Karakadzai sacrificed his education for the liberation struggle.
He said after independence, Karakadzai played a pivotal role in the amalgamation of former belligerents, the ZIPRA, ZANLA and the Rhodesian front.
The late NRZ boss’ historical records shows that he spent millions of dollars buying luxury vehicles for senior managers at a time when the salaries of general workers remained unpaid for 11 months running and the parastatal’s deteriorating trains were never attended to for replacement.
Karakadzai’s administration squandered millions of dollars on luxury vehicles and other items following which over 1 000 unpaid workers in Bulawayo stormed his offices demanding payment or confiscate the new vehicles and “unnecessary” furniture items their boss had bought.
In response to the media, the late Karakadzai said the vehicles were crucial for the replacement of ageing fleet. “It is pertinent to mention that the NRZ has five Directors and, the Toyota land cruiser ranges from US$65 000 to 70 000, while the Toyota Prado is between US$35 to 45 000, contrary to indicated figures,” he said.
“The acquisition of the vehicle for the General Manager was a long overdue condition of service, because he had been using his personal vehicle since 2005, when he joined the organization. The delayed acquisition of this vehicle was to allow the organization to build enough capacity for self sustenance,” he said without answering on unpaid employee salaries.
“NRZ has limited resources to maintain the rail network which is in bad shape,” Karakadzai said. “The rail network is fast deteriorating and on the verge of collapse due to lack of periodic maintenance. As NRZ we don’t have enough financial resources to undertake such a huge task. If other players come on board, the burden of maintaining the rail network would be shared.”
Pressed to respond to the looting allegations, Karakadzai admitted that he bought the cars and furniture but was quick to defend: “The cars and the furniture were bought to replace the dilapidated fleet. There is nothing sinister about it.”
However on his graveside speech, Mugabe said Karakadzai introduced a workable system to the National Railways of Zimbabwe to address huge deficits that the parastatal had accumulated.
He said the illegal sanctions imposed by the west and its allies also took its toll on the parastatal as it could not procure new trucks, engines and other equipment.
President Mugabe said the system is going to work well considering that the new Zanu PF government will be in place.
Mugabe said he was also saddened by the death of another nationalist Enos Nkala, three days after the death of Karakadzai and the death of Politburo member, Kumbirai Kangai on Saturday.
He said the families should take solace in the contributions of the three heroes to the country, adding that the nation is mourning together with the bereaved families during these hard times.
Mugabe said he was disturbed by some people who have little knowledge of how the military works and were calling for security sector reform.
He said it needed patience to deal with such people as they are ignorant how the security system of a country works.
Mugabe said the military, in which the late Karakadzai hailed from, played a pivotal role in the liberation struggle by also organising the masses to report movement of regime soldiers whilst teaching them to accept the liberation war fighters from neighbouring countries.
He warned the British and Americans to desist from tormenting Zimbabwe, adding that it shall come a time when the country shall retaliate.
Earlier on in the morning, the body of Retired Air Commodore Karakadzai was taken to Stodart Hall where President Mugabe led mourners in bidding farewell to a loyal son of the soil.
As early as 8 am, hundreds of people from Mbare and surrounding suburbs lined up all roads and the area surrounding the traditional hall.
Members of the Karakadzai family, including his wife Sylvia and sons, escorted the casket as it was taken inside the hall by pall bearers from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Senior Zanu PF officials, senior government officials and Zanu PF Politburo members started arriving for the proceedings followed by Zanu PF National Chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo and Vice President Joice Mujuru.