Nothing new as Mugabe attacks the West and opposition at Congress

By Violet Gonda
15 December 2006

The much-awaited ZANU PF annual conference opened Friday amid much pomp and fanfare. Freelance journalist Gift Phiri said about 9 000 delegates from the party’s 10 provinces were in attendance. 160 beasts have been slaughtered as ZANU PF delegates pigged out at conference. The journalist said it was shocking to see so much extravagance amid grinding poverty and that people were even treated to ice cream for dessert.

Furthermore the controversial resolutions on the harmonisation of presidential and parliamentary elections have not yet been made public. Phiri said the regime conveniently had the discussion in the afternoon in a closed session. Although journalists were barred and details are a bit sketchy, it is reported that among other issues discussed were the state of the party, the state of the economy and land reform.

In his keynote address Robert Mugabe did not talk about the plan to extend his rule from 2008 to 2010 but resorted to his usual anti western and hardline rhetoric. It’s reported that he said ZANU PF had defeated the “two monsters of the Movement for Democratic Change” and he attacked Tony Blair accusing the British Prime Minister of seeking to overthrow his government and sabotaging the economy.

Analysts say this is the usual rant that people have heard for many years and that Mugabe is recycling the old list of enemies.

He made threats to private schools who continue to defy government directives on school fees. The 82 year old leader also warned senior officials in his own party, who have grabbed multiple farms and are looting diamond mines.

Critics again point out that there is nothing new in these threats as many government and ZANU PF officials have grabbed multiple farms and are implicated in corrupt activities but never punished.