Mugabe says Zim no home for traitors

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe warned mourners at the funeral of a top ruling party official on Sunday that Zimbabwe was “threatened by treachery from within” and indirectly blamed the country’s former colonial power Britain.

Speaking at the burial of Josiah Tungamirai, a veteran of Zimbabwe’s 1970s independence war and a member of ruling Zanu-PF’s supreme decision-making politburo, Mugabe beseeched mourners to keep the country out of the hands of “puppets”. The veteran leader, in power since independence in 1980, routinely criticises the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change as a stooge of Britain, which he says has sought to oust his government since 2000 over its controversial seizure of white-owned farms for blacks.He said on Sunday Zimbabwe was “being threatened by treachery from within the country, threatened naturally by that treachery as it extends outside the country and invites our erstwhile coloniser once again to recolonise us.”Look after this country.Don’t let the puppets take it.This country is ours for all eternity.Zimbabwe is no home for traitors, for political stooges, for crooks and political cowards,” Mugabe said.Tungamirai died in neighbouring South Africa where he was receiving treatment for a kidney ailment.He was the country’s first black airforce chief and minister for indigenisation and empowerment.Britain has led international criticism against Mugabe over the land seizures, which critics say have undermined the key agricultural sector, and over charges that the ruling Zanu-PF party has rigged elections since 2000.Zanu-PF denies the charges, and accuses its local and foreign opponents of the land reforms of carrying out a campaign of sabotage against Zimbabwe’s economy, leading to chronic shortages of foreign currency, fuel, record unemployment and employment.- Nampa-ReutersThe veteran leader, in power since independence in 1980, routinely criticises the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change as a stooge of Britain, which he says has sought to oust his government since 2000 over its controversial seizure of white-owned farms for blacks.He said on Sunday Zimbabwe was “being threatened by treachery from within the country, threatened naturally by that treachery as it extends outside the country and invites our erstwhile coloniser once again to recolonise us.”Look after this country.Don’t let the puppets take it.This country is ours for all eternity.Zimbabwe is no home for traitors, for political stooges, for crooks and political cowards,” Mugabe said.Tungamirai died in neighbouring South Africa where he was receiving treatment for a kidney ailment.He was the country’s first black airforce chief and minister for indigenisation and empowerment.Britain has led international criticism against Mugabe over the land seizures, which critics say have undermined the key agricultural sector, and over charges that the ruling Zanu-PF party has rigged elections since 2000.Zanu-PF denies the charges, and accuses its local and foreign opponents of the land reforms of carrying out a campaign of sabotage against Zimbabwe’s economy, leading to chronic shortages of foreign currency, fuel, record unemployment and employment.- Nampa-Reuters