Peace: Zimbabweans slam Mugabe for double speak

Addressing thousands of Zimbabweans – among them Prime Minister Morgan

Tsvangirai, his deputy Arthur Mutambara and other MDC officials – who

thronged the National Sports Stadium on Monday to celebrate 31 years

of independence, a seemingly conciliatory Mugabe dedicated a large

part of his speech towards condemning politically motivated violence

and calling for eternal peace.

We are one. We may have differences but we belong to each other and

we belong to each other and we are one family. Please no fighting, no

violence. Let there be peace, let there be peace, more peace, more

unity, Mugabe said.

Also in a departure from the crude verbal attack he launched at fellow

SADC leaders three weeks ago, Mugabe further thanked the regional

block of assisting him and his opponents resolve their differences.

He also called on Zimbabwes national healing organ to help foster

lasting peace in the country, seemingly unaware that national healing

co-minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu had spent his third night in a police

cell for alleged undermining of his government.

As Mugabe delivered his long rumbling speech, his praise songs blared

continuously from the public address system while a handful Zanu PF

supporters screamed and sang in his praise on the terraces while

threatening violence on his opponents.

Aikona kutamba naGushungo, dzinorira nyere, went one of the songs by

a band of his supporters who wore t-shirts with the octogenarian

leaders face emblazoned on them.

But ordinary Zimbabweans, some of whom have endured endless ordeals of

violence with tacit support from the countrys partisan security

organs, see through Mugabes hollow utterances.

That is mere rhetoric, said Patience Mutize, a Harare resident, We

are now used to statements where the President goes on the public

arena and denounce violence but on the ground, we are being thrashed

everyday and we cannot even seek protection from the police. He utters

these statements just uttered to cover up his face.

Brighton Mabika, another resident of Harare said Mugabe was not sincere.

There is no sincerity in what he was saying. Mugabe should not just

utter these statements at state gatherings only but should do the same

at Zanu PF gatherings. I do not see his supporters stopping their

violence because Mugabe has said so in an independence speech.

Similarly, Tapuwa Mapfumo said it would be nave to take his words at

face value.

Mugabe owes it to violence that he continues hold on to power to this

day, he said, He knows he cannot win a free and fair election. It

would be nave to take his words at face value.

Others also feel Mugabes anti-violence speech was a smokescreen

knowing he was speaking at an event also attended by foreign diplomats

and was covered by local and international media.

That was not the real Mugabe speaking. The real Mugabe is the one who

told SADC leaders off some three weeks ago. He is doing that because

there is a Sadc extra ordinary summit in a months time, said Mavis

Mabhena.

MDC rallies are banned, ministers arrested while police continue to

arrest priests and worshippers for committing the crime of praying for

the same peace that he is preaching. They are being beaten up for the

crime of remembering their comrades who were killed by Mugabes own

loyalists. Action speaks louder than words. We will believe him when

he starts acting.

Mugabe has adamantly resisted appeals by his opponents to withdraw

the military from intimidating villagers in the countryside.

Newly elected MDC-T chairman for Harare Paul Madzore said Mugabes

speech was full of emptiness.

Those are the correct words that should come from a leader but we

have heard the same language over and over again since 1980. In

between, people have been tortured and butchered, some have lost homes

in the same speech. Mugabes speech was full of emptiness.

The professor Welshman Ncube led MDC also slammed Mugabe for speaking

with a forked tongue.

Mugabe is not sincere on peace,” said party deputy spokesperson

Kurauone Chihwayi, We are surprised as a party by his utterances. He

is one person who indicates right but turns left. He is saying this to

convince SADC that there is need for elections before the end of the

year.

Ends/