Bush should “mind their own business and leave Zimbabwe alone.”
Speaking and the burial of national hero and Commander of 1 Brigade, Brigadier General Armstrong Gunda at Heroes Arce today, Mugabe said government would ruthlessly take over companies which ignore their call to reduce prices.
“We (government) would take over all companies which continue to increase prices. If they want to be rough, we will show them that we are even rougher,” Mugabe said.
“Prices should come down today. It is going to be a rough game to any companies that refuses to oblige,” he said.
Mugabe singled out bakers and manufactures as government’s major targets.
He said the ruling party Zanu PF was there to stay and would not be removed by “imperialists”.
He said that no-one should tell them what to do, including those who once colonized Zimbabwe. He advised Bush and Blair to mind their own business saying that people suffered in the bush during the liberation struggle and would letnot outsiders change this regime.
Gunda died last week on Thursday when his car was hit by a trains on his way to Marondera.
BrigGen Gunda joins fellow military cadres interred at the national shrine, among them former Zanla Commander Josiah Tongogara, who died in a car accident in 1979, and Alfred Nikita Mangena and Lookout Masuku, former Minister of Indigenisation and Empowerment, Josiah Tungamirai, Charles Dauramanzi and Brigadier General Charles Gumbo.
BrigGen Gunda was born on 2 March 1957 and did his secondary education at St Killian Mission in Rusape before leaving the country for Mozambique in 1975 to join the liberation struggle.He received his military training at Tembwe in 1976 and later in China from 1977 to 1978.Upon his return from China, he was posted to Chitepo sector in Mashonaland Central province where he operated until the ceasefire in 1979.At independence, he was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army as an officer and in December 1981 he was commissioned a lieutenant after completing the Officer Standardisation Academy.
His promotion in the army progressed as follows: lieutenant (1981), captain (1984), major (1986), lieutenant colonel (1992), colonel (1996) and brigadier general (2004) the rank he held until his untimely death.
During his service, BrigGen Gunda attended the Command Staff Course No 1 at the Zimbabwe Staff College, the Human Rights for Peacekeeping at the Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre, Senior Officers’ All Arms Signals Course and the Executive Programme for Commanders in the United States of America, among other many courses.
Since attestation into the ZNA in 1980, he held several appointments with different units such as Officer Commanding B Company at 41 Infantry Battalion 19801982, Administration Staff Officer Grade 2 Facilities at the Directorate of Army Training 19841985, Command at All Arms Battle School 19961998, commander Presidential Guards 19982005 and Commander 1 Brigade until his death.
It was during his time as commander Presidential Guards that BrigGen Gunda displayed his versatility and extreme devotion to duty.His responsibilities included the highly sensitive duty protecting the President and visiting VVIPs and VIPs from other nations.
This was a highly demanding task taking into cognisance the politically sensitive nature of his responsibilities.
The responsibility required him to exercise extreme diligence, initiative, unfailing devotion and loyalty as well as the highest standards of command and foresight.
He was awarded the Independence liberation 10 years service award, Mozambique campaign, the Long and Exemplary award, and the Democratic Republic of Congo campaign medals, among others.
BrigGen Gunda was posted to head 1 Brigade, covering Matabeleland Province in 2005, a position he held until his death.
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