OPPOSITION parties yesterday angrily reacted to Zanu PF leader President Robert Mugabe’s claims that the majority of Zimbabweans did not want him to relinquish power but hang on despite his failing health and advanced age.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Mugabe (92) bragged during a Press conference in Japan on Tuesday that he was still popular, adding Zimbabweans would get angry if outsiders challenged him for overstaying in office.
The veteran politician has been Zimbabwe’s sole leader since independence in 1980, although his successive electoral victories have been marred by allegations of massive rigging.
“You just go to Zimbabwe now and ask the people whether I should stand down. They will be angry with you,” Mugabe reportedly said.
But MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Mugabe was being misled by his handlers into believing that he still had the support of the majority.
“It’s quite possible that a few Zanu PF sycophants might be misleading him into believing that the people of Zimbabwe still want him to hang on as President. The brutal truth, however, is that these sycophants are lying to him. In their heart of hearts, these political malcontents know that Mugabe is way past his sell-by date. He is no longer fit for purpose,” he said.
People’s Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said it was ironic that Mugabe bragged about retaining power illegitimately.
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“The man has been in power through brutality and inhuman and degrading treatment of opponents in the country. There is nothing he and his party won’t do to remain in power,” he said.
Pishai Muchauraya of the Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe challenged Mugabe to “just hand over power and rest”. “His utterances in Japan can only be attributed to his advanced age, where he often has frequent memory lapses,” he said.
MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi weighed in, saying the utterances were an attempt by Mugabe to hoodwink the international community about the state of affairs in Zimbabwe.
“Reality is that Zimbabweans want Mugabe out with immediate effect. Zimbabwe wants Mugabe to step down today to enable the country to move on. $15 billion has disappeared during his tenure and until today he cannot satisfactorily explain to the nation the circumstances that led to the disappearance of the money. The international community should ignore Mugabe’s lies and wait for a new Zimbabwe in 2018,” he said.
National Constitutional Assembly spokesperson, Madock Chivasa said: “He (Mugabe) is struggling with old age and that’s why in his own hallucinations and daydreaming he believes things contrary to the truth. He is responsible for running down the Zimbabwean economy and has caused untold suffering to the people of Zimbabwe.”
