President Mugabe's speech to Zimbabwe's 7th Parliament

The following is the full text of a speech by President Robert Mugabe at the opening of the First Session of Zimbabwe's Seventh Parliament on Tuesday, August 26, 2008:



Madam President of the Senate, Mr Speaker Sir,
Senators and Members of the House of Assembly,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Comrades and Friends.
I welcome you all to this First Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe.
This First Session takes place in the aftermath, and is indeed the logical outcome, of the country's historic harmonised elections. The elections were premised on Constitutional Amendment No. 18 as well as amendments to AIPPA, POSA and the Broadcasting Services Act which were agreed to by all the parties and were unanimously passed by both Houses of Parliament.

This occurrence is highly instructive in reminding us that through constructive mutual engagement and by putting the country first, we can, as Zimbabweans, address problems and challenges on our own. The new dispensation of collaboration across the political divide should now see us single-mindedly devoting our energies towards the recovery of our economy.

Let me pay particular and special tribute to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa for his outstanding role as mediator of the Sadc-initiated inter-party dialogue. He has been at it with the patience and endurance of the biblical Job, often against all-round revilement from well-known quarters that have never wanted peace for this land.

Through his mediatory efforts, landmark agreements have been concluded, with every expectation that everyone will sign up to the agreement paving way for an all-inclusive Government.

I wish to pay tribute to all Zimbabweans for having exercised their democratic right in our recent elections in a peaceful manner, notwithstanding the regrettable and isolated cases of political violence, which were witnessed in the run-up to the presidential election run-off.

Happily, all political parties in the country have acknowledged culpability in this violence, itself an important step towards putting behind us the odious habit of election-related violence.

I also congratulate all the members of this new Parliament on having won the mandate to represent the various constituencies. In doing so, I acknowledge the inordinate delay in opening this session of Parliament, hoping you will all appreciate that the delays owed to a praiseworthy search for peace and greater amity for our nation.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

The elections are now behind us. What currently is upon us is the challenge of a common vision and effort. The era of specialists who are heavy on critiques and empty on prescriptions is gone. Now is the time for us to put Zimbabwe first, and challenging the many things that stifle our potential and trammel our energies.

Foremost in this regard are the much-reviled illegal sanctions imposed by Britain and her allies, which seek to subvert the will of the Zimbabwean people. These must go. They cannot last a day longer if we, as true Zimbabweans speak against them in deafening unison.

Surely, sanctions cannot be good for any Zimbabwean, and we have abundant evidence of their ravaging impact. We cannot need democracy and condone such blatant spiteful injury at the same time.

We are deeply indebted to Sadc, the African Union, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, our allies in the United Nations Security Council, and other progressive peoples of the world, for their invaluable support and solidarity with us, in the face of the vicious onslaught on Zimbabwe by Britain and the United State of America. We cherish their brotherly advice and support, and pledge that we will not let them down.

Madam President, Mr Speaker Sir.

The current global food shortage and the consequent price escalations, are a powerful reminder to us of the need for concerted efforts to enhance food security at both the household and national levels. This past season saw our agricultural yields sharply reduced owing to a combination of floods, drought and shortage of inputs.

As always, Government has done its best to ensure that no one starved. Already, a massive programme for the importation of maize from neighbouring countries, notably South Africa, is underway. So is the procurement of locally available maize.

Regrettably, we have noticed the destructive hand of our enemies seeking to undermine our grain importation programme, in the process, pushing up regional food prices. Indeed, food is the latest of their weapons in their regime change agenda.

It is, however, not prudent that we should continue to subsist on food imports. Our efforts are thus being focused on empowering our farmers for greater crop production. Facilities such as the Farm Mechanisation Programme, the Agricultural Support Productivity Enhancement Facility (ASPEF), and the introduction of the Input Pack Support Programme for rural farmers should go a long way in meeting this objective.

These efforts will be complemented by the introduction of an appropriate agricultural commodity-pricing regime, designed to stimulate production. Furthermore, the local fertilizer industry is being supported with foreign currency in order to boost production, while projected shortfalls will be met from imports.

Government will also spearhead implementation of the targeted production of strategic crops. This programme will involve the provision of tillage; seeds, fertilizer, chemicals and harvesting support to identified farmers, who will be required to produce to set targets.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

On a broader level, our economy continues to face challenges associated with the hyper-inflationary environment. These range from shortages of basic and essential commodities, foreign currency, fuel and power, as well as declining quality of infrastructure. This negative state of affairs is further compounded by the prevalence of speculative and profiteering tendencies as well as in-built price misalignments in the economy. We have also detected an insidious foreign hand in the destabilisation of our currency.

Government, in conjunction with the other critical stakeholders is embarking on a short- term bridging economic stabilisation programme. The programme seeks, among other things, to encourage price stability, introduce appropriate currency reforms, boost availability of basic and essential commodities, boost the availability of foreign currency, enhance food security, aggressively embark on infrastructure development as well as revamping service delivery by public utilities.

Targeted subsidies will be introduced to cushion vulnerable social groups from the anticipated adverse effects of the pricing reforms, while greater emphasis shall be on combating endemic corruption and wanton indiscipline that is so pervasive in the economy.

The initiatives I have referred to need to be complemented by enhanced fiscal prudence. Accordingly, the Public Finance Management Bill, which is designed to minimise misappropriation and mismanagement of public funds, shall be tabled before this august House. In addition, the Audit Bill, which should enhance accountability in the audit process and eliminate inherent limitations in the current Audit and Exchequer Act, will be introduced during this session.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

In the energy and power sector, the shortage of foreign currency has contributed to minimal maintenance of power supply infrastructure, a situation which explains frequent breakdowns and unscheduled power cuts currently being experienced.

However, the agreement signed between Government and NamPower of Namibia for the refurbishment of the Hwange Power Station will go a long way in redressing this undesirable state of affairs.

Already, this has seen the completion of Unit 1 of the station, while work on the other three units is expected to be complete by October 2008. The Energy Laws Amendment Bill, which seeks to facilitate the harmonisation of the energy sector, shall be brought to Parliament during this session.

With regard to fuel, the supply of the product continues to be constrained by the shortage of funding, coupled with the unprecedented rise in oil prices on the world market. This situation demands that we reorient our mindset and reduce the ostensible careless consumption of fuel.

For this reason, innovative measures such as the fuel conservation programme, promotion of bio-fuels production, and the resuscitation of blending of petrol with ethanol, are being implemented, while the exploration of solar and coal-bed methane gas as alternative energy sources is being accelerated.

I am pleased to note that the production of fuel-grade ethanol at Triangle has already started, while the Crude Oil Agreement with the Equatorial Guinea, which had expired, has been renewed.

Measures to curb the current upsurge in cases of vandalisation of public utilities infrastructure must be strengthened. Service delivery by TelOne, NetOne, Zesa and the National Railways of Zimbabwe, has been compromised, in some cases severely.

Accordingly, Government is establishing co-ordinated security structures incorporating local communities and other relevant stakeholders for purposes of safeguarding public infrastructure. The levels of such unlawful activities require a reclassification of the crime. It now has to be viewed as economic sabotage.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

The empowerment of the formerly deprived indigenous majority of our people is the centre piece of our development efforts. Now that the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, which provides for the acquisition of at least 51 percent shares in every public company and any other strategic businesses by indigenous persons is law, implementation of the empowerment policy shall be pursued with renewed vigour on a sector by sector basis.

However, to facilitate implementation, some amendments of the Act will have to be brought to this Parliament during this season. The amendments will, among other things, empower the relevant minister to prescribe what constitutes a strategic company or sector, the timeframe for compliance with the Act, and the approval format for indigenisation arrangements.

This development will also facilitate expeditious tabling of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill in Parliament, which seeks to broaden participation in the sector by indigenous players.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

Government will also press ahead with the implementation of initiatives to promote the growth and development of the small and medium enterprises sector. One such initiative is the US$5 million grant availed under the Indo-Zimbabwe Project, in terms of which machinery and equipment have been availed to assist the designing and manufacturing processes in the sector.

Under the same project, SMEs Technology Centres have been established at the Harare Institute of Technology, in Bulawayo and Chitungwiza. Other such common service facilities will be established at growth points throughout the country.

However, to guarantee sustainable development of the sector, it is necessary to create a conducive regulatory and operating framework. To this end, the Small and Medium Enterprises Bill shall be brought to Parliament during this session.

Madam President, Mr Speaker Sir,

Whereas as a country we have made tremendous strides in the education sector, there is still need to ensure that our education remains globally competitive as well as relevant to national needs. This is consistent with our goal to become a knowledge-driven and globally competitive economy.

Accordingly, the Zimbabwe Qualifications Authority Bill, which seeks to integrate and harmonise qualifications, and superintend the development and registration of national qualification standards, will be brought before this august House.

The Bill will also seek to align the Zimbabwe Qualifications Framework to the proposed Sadc Regional Framework of Qualifications and Quality Assurance Systems. The Education Act shall also be amended to provide a more sustainable basis for pegging school fees.

Madam, President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

Health service delivery continues to be constrained by the shortage of essential drugs, equipment, food, transport and skilled personnel. It is, however, pleasing to note that steady progress is being registered in addressing these challenges. For instance, the introduction of a generic training programme has ensured that there is at least one trained nurse at every health facility. The training shall be scaled up to achieve a full complement of staff at the health centre level and in laboratory and X-ray services.

Staff retention in the sector is set to be enhanced through incentives such as the provision of affordable transport and housing under the recently launched Medical Skills Retention Scheme. Government is also pursuing arrangements for the local manufacture of affordable drugs, while the sector is being prioritised in terms of foreign currency allocation.

It is, however, noted with concern that efforts to promote sanitation, health and hygiene continue to be undermined by the persistent erratic water supply situation, especially in major urban areas. To address this challenge, steps are being taken to build the requisite capacity in Zinwa.

I am pleased to note that Government has already taken delivery of considerable quantities of the required equipment and machinery procured from China. Installation of the equipment is already in progress, as a result of which some improvement in water and sewer pumping is already evident in parts of Harare.

The District Development Fund, in conjunction with Zinwa, is carrying out a borehole sinking and rehabilitation programme in some parts of our urban areas, while work will continue in mobilising funding for the procurement of the much-needed water treatment chemicals.

Madam, President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

The shortage of coal for tobacco curing has resulted in increased deforestation on farms. To reverse this negative trend, Government shall come up with regulations that compel tobacco farmers to grow woodlots for purposes of tobacco curing.

Furthermore, in the area of environmental management, Government will, during this session, bring for consideration by Parliament the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Basal Convention on Transboundary Hazardous Waste, the Rotterdam Convention on Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species.

The phenomenal growth witnessed in the construction industry has raised the need for enhanced regulation of activities in that sector. Accordingly, this Parliament will during this session, consider the Zimbabwe Construction Industry Council Bill, which provides for the establishment of a council responsible for maintaining standards in the sector.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir,

Workers across the board continue to face an acute shortage of accommodation, ever increasing transport costs and declining disposable incomes, owing to the prevailing hyperinflation. Government will continue to periodically review tax thresholds, thereby increasing workers’ disposable incomes.

To address the plight of the commuting public, increased support shall be availed towards the recapitalisation of Zupco as well as boosting the fleet of buses under the District Buses Programme.

Increased fuel allocations and waiver of duty on spares shall be extended to private transport operators. Moves by some companies to provide transport for their employees should be applauded, and indeed, encouraged.

The current harsh economic environment has also undermined the welfare of pensioners and other older persons, who now also have a huge dependants burden, owing to the unabating HIV/Aids pandemic.

Accordingly, the Older Persons Bill, which will cater for the entire welfare of older persons, shall be tabled during this session. On its part, Government has since indexed the pensions of retired civil servants to the salaries of serving members so as to improve their livelihood.

Madam President, Mr Speaker, Sir.

Corruption imposes a huge cost burden on the conduct of business. As such, efforts to revive the country’s economy could remain a pipedream unless they are supported by stern and decisive action to eradicate the scourge of corruption, which has now reached alarming levels. This will have to be done sooner rather than later. There will be no sacred cows seeking to hide behind the banner of social positions or party affiliation for their venal tendencies.

Madam President, Mr Speaker Sir,

Zimbabwe, as Vice Chair of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) regional grouping, will be the next host of the regular Comesa Summit. Accordingly, the country has to position itself to reap from the expected benefits as well as the anticipated establishment of the Comesa Customs Union.

Following the signing of the Beira Development Corridor Agreement between Zimbabwe and Mozambique in December 2007, work is now underway to implement the identified projects. One such project is the Forbes/Machipanda One-Stop Border Post.

Concerted efforts are being made to expedite implementation of co-operation agreements with our “Look East” development partners. The agreements cover strategic sectors of the economy such as power and energy, mining, infrastructure development and agriculture.

The tractor project between the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company (ITM Co) and the Industrial Development Corporation is set to yield tremendous benefits to Zimbabwe by way of technology and skills transfer; import cost savings and expert revenues.

On the diplomatic front, we continue to call for the reform of the United Nations, in order to render it truly representative of its broad constituency, thus providing checks against the abuse of power by those who are favoured by the current unpopular geopolitical system. The prevailing order where the stronger nations tread over the rights of smaller nations and manipulate the United Nations mechanisms with impunity constitutes a grave threat to international peace.

Zimbabwe has been a victim of this not only cynical but abusive manipulation of the UN Charter. Equally, we have seen attempts by bigger nations at destabilising world peace. Western countries must stop their unholy policy of global encroachment, which can only undermine the status quo or even re-ignite a new arms race.

In conclusion, I wish to urge all Zimbabweans to rekindle the spirit of national pride and self-belief as we strive to build a strong, united and prosperous Zimbabwe. Let us exert our full effort towards raising our country and its flag in the manner our Olympic team has done in Beijing.

I am sure you all join me in congratulating them, especially Kirsty Coventry, most heartily on that heroic performance.

I wish you fruitful deliberations and have pleasure in now declaring this First Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe officially open.

I thank you.

Why Vote for Robert Mugabe - Africa's Hero

Is Mugabe as strong as he was in the beginning?

The Rise of Robert Mugabe

Mugabe is a hero for all Africans and black people world wide:

Robert Mugabe Speech in Harlem, New York City 9/8/2000

Prime Minister Robert Mugabe’s address to the nation on independence eve 1980

Robert Mugabe
April 17, 1980

Long live our Freedom!

The final countdown before the launching of the new State of Zimbabwe has now begun. Only a few hours from now, Zimbabwe will have become a free, independent and sovereign state, free to choose its own flight path and chart its own course to its chosen destiny.

Its people have made a democratic choice of those who as their legitimate Government, they wish to govern them and take policy decisions as to their future. This, indeed, is the meaning of the mandate my party secured through a free and fair election, conducted in the full glare of the world’s spotlight.

While my Government welcomes the mandate it has been freely given and is determined to honour it to the letter, it also accepts that the fulfillment of the tasks imposed by the mandate are only possible with the confidence, goodwill and co-operation of all of you, reinforced by the forthcoming support and encouragement of all our friends, allies, and well wishers in the international community.

The march to our national independence has been a long, arduous and hazardous one. On this march, countless lives have been lost and many sacrifices made. Death and suffering have been the prize we have been called upon to pay for the final priceless reward of freedom and national independence. May I thank all of you who have had to suffer and sacrifice for the reward we are now getting.

Tomorrow we shall be celebrating the historic event, which our people have striven for nearly a century to achieve. Our people, young and old, men and women, black and white, living and dead, are, on this occasion, being brought together in a new form of national unity that makes them all Zimbabweans.

Independence will bestow on us a new personality, a new sovereignty, a new future and perspective, and indeed a new history and a new past. Tomorrow we are being born again; born again not as individuals but collectively as a people, nay, as a viable nation of Zimbabweans. Tomorrow is thus our birthday, the birth of a great Zimbabwe, and the birth of its nation.

Tomorrow we shall cease to be men and women of the past and become men and women of the future. It’s tomorrow then, not yesterday, which bears our destiny.

As we become a new people we are called to be constructive, progressive and forever forward looking, for we cannot afford to be men of yesterday, backward-looking, retrogressive and destructive. Our new nation requires of every one of us to be a new man, with a new mind, a new heart and a new spirit.

Our new mind must have a new vision and our new hearts a new love that spurns hate, and a new spirit that must unite and not divide. This to me is the human essence that must form the core of our political change and national independence.

Henceforth, you and I must strive to adapt ourselves, intellectually and spiritually to the reality of our political change and relate to each other as brothers bound one to another by a bond of national comradeship.

If yesterday I fought as an enemy, today you have become a friend and ally with the same national interest, loyalty, rights and duties as myself. If yesterday you hated me, today you cannot avoid the love that binds you to me and me to you.

Is it not folly, therefore, that in these circumstances anybody should seek to revive the wounds and grievances of the past? The wrongs of the past must now stand forgiven and forgotten.

If ever we look to the past, let us do so for the lesson the past has taught us, namely that oppression and racism are inequities that must never again find scope in our political and social system. It could never be a correct justification that because whites oppressed us yesterday when they had power, the blacks must oppress them today because they have power. An evil remains an evil whether practiced by white against black or by black against white.

Our majority rule could easily turn into inhuman rule if we oppressed, persecuted or harassed those who do not look or think like the majority of us.

Democracy is never mob-rule. It is and should remain disciplined rule requiring compliance with the law and social rules. Our independence must thus not be construed as an instrument vesting individuals or groups with the right to harass and intimidate others into acting against their will.

It is not the right to negate the freedom of others to think and act, as they desire. I, therefore, wish to appeal to all of you to respect each other and act in promotion of national unity rather than negation of that unity.

On Independence Day, our integrated security forces will, in spite of their having only recently fought each other, be marching in step together to herald the new era of national unity and togetherness. Let this be an example of us all to follow. Indeed, let this enjoin the whole of our nation to march in perfect unison from year to year and decade to decade towards its destiny.

We have abundant mineral, agricultural and human resources to exploit and develop for which we need perfect peace. Given such peace, our endeavours to transform our society and raise our standard of living are bound to succeed.

The mineral resources lying beneath the surface of our country have hardly been scratched, nor have our agricultural and industrial resources yet fully harnessed. Now that we have peace, we must go fully out to exploit them.

We already have a sophisticated infrastructure. Our expertise is bound to increase as more and more educational and technical institutions are established to transform our skilled manpower.

The whole world is looking on us this day. Indeed, many countries in the international community are amazed at how we have so quickly and unexpectedly moved from war to peace. We have certainly won the goodwill of many countries and can confidently expect to benefit from the economic and technical aid they are able and willing to provide for us.

May I assure you that my Government is determined to bring about meaningful change to the lives of the majority of the people in the country. But I must ask you to be patient and allow my Government time to organize programmes that will effectively yield that change.

There are people without land who need land, people without jobs who need jobs, children without schools who need schools and patients without hospitals who need them.

We are also fully aware of the need for increased wages in all sectors of employment. My Government will certainly do its best to meet the existing needs in these areas. But you have to assist us by being patient and peaceful.

I now finally wish to appeal to you, wherever you are, to participate fully today and Saturday in the Independence celebrations that have been organized throughout the country.

There are, of course, those of you who have the duty to maintain essential services. These services must indeed be maintained so that the celebrations are facilitated. Maintaining such essential services during the celebrations is a significant contribution of their success.

I wish to thank Her Majesty the Queen for having sent His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales to represent her and officiate at our Independence ceremony, where he will perform the symbolic act of severing our colonial ties with Britain.

As you are aware, this historic ceremony will be witnessed by Heads of State and Government and representatives of nearly 100 countries plus representatives of several international, political and voluntary organizations. The ceremony will be also be reported and relayed to millions of people in the world by the mass media.

May I enjoin you all to regard this solemn occasion with honour and dignity, and participate in the celebrations that follow it with jubilation. Let us rejoice over our independence and recognize in it the need to dedicate ourselves to national unity, peace and progress.

I now wish to pay tribute to Lord Soames, our Governor, for the most important role he has played in successfully guiding this country to elections and independence. He was from the very onset given a difficult and most unenviable task. And yet he performed it with remarkable ability and overwhelming dignity.

I must admit that I was one of those who originally never trusted him, and yet I have now ended up not only implicitly trusting but fondly loving him as well.

He is indeed a great man through whom it has been possible within a short period I have been Prime Minister, to organize substantial financial and technical aid from Britain and other countries.

I am personally indebted to him for the advice he has constantly given me on the art of managing the affairs of Government. I shall certainly be missing a good friend and counselor, and so will our independent Zimbabwe and all its people.

I also wish to thank all our distinguished quests for the honour they have given us by coming to attend our Independence celebrations on behalf of their countries or organizations.

Their presence in our country signifies a bond of solidarity and friendship between their countries or organizations and our country.

Without the support they have given us towards our liberation, this day would never have come about. Thanks, therefore, for all the material, political, diplomatic and moral support they have given us.

Sons and daughters of Zimbabwe, I urge you to participate fully and jubilantly in our Independence celebrations and to ensure that all our visitors are well entertained and treated with utmost hospitality.

I shall be one in spirit and love, in loyalty and commitment with you all. Forward with the Year of the People’s Power!

Long live our Freedom!
Long live our Sovereignty!
Long live our Independence!

credit: Kubatana

President Robert Mugabe's speech at 62nd Session of UN General Assembly

Statement by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Comrade R. G. Mugabe, on the occasion of the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, New York, 26 September, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last updated: 12/01/2008 17:41:42
Your Excellency, President of the 62ndSession of the United Nations General Assembly,
Mr. Srgjan Kerim,
Your Majesties,

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Mr. President,

Allow me to congratulate you on your election to preside over this august assembly. We are confident that through your stewardship, issues on this 62nd Session agenda be dealt with in a balanced manner and to the satisfaction of all.

Let me also pay tribute to your predecessor, Madame Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, who steered the work of the 61st Session in a very competent and impartial manner.

Her ability to identify the crucial issues facing the world today will be remembered as the hallmark of her presidency.

Mr. President,

We extend our hearty welcome to the new Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, who has taken up this challenging job requiting dynamism in confronting the global challenges of the 21st Century. Balancing global interests and steering the United Nations in a direction that gives hope to the multitudes of the poor, the sick, the hungry and the marginalized, is indeed a mammoth task. We would like to assure him that Zimbabwe will continue to support an open, transparent and all-inclusive multilateral approach in dealing with these global challenges.

Mr. President,

Climate change is one of the most pressing global issues of our time. Its negative impact is greatest in developing countries, particularly those on the African continent. We believe that if the international community is going to seriously address the challenges of climate change, then we need to get our priorities right. In Zimbabwe, the effects of climate change have become more evident in the past decade as we have witnessed increased and recurrent droughts as well as occasional floods, leading to enormous humanitarian challenges.

Mr. President,

We are for a United Nations that recognises the equality of sovereign nations and peoples whether big or small. We are averse to a body in which the economically and militarily powerful behave like bullies, trampling on the rights of weak and smaller states as sadly happened in Iraq. In the light of these inauspicious developments, this Organisation must surely examine the essence of its authority and the extent of its power when challenged in this manner.

Such challenges to the authority of the UN and its Charter underpin our repeated call for the revitalisation of the United Nations General Assembly, itself the most representative organ of the UN. The General Assembly should be more active in all areas including those of peace and security. The encroachment of some U.N. organs upon the work of the General Assembly is of great concern to us. Thus any process of revitalizing or strengthening of the General Assembly should necessarily avoid eroding the principle of the accountability of all principal and subsidiary organs to the General Assembly.

Mr. President,

Once again we reiterate our position that the Security Council as presently constituted is not democratic. In its present configuration, the Council has shown that it is not in a position to protect the weaker states who find themselves at loggerheads with a marauding super-power. Most importantly, justice demands that any Security Council reform redresses the fact that Africa is the only continent without a permanent seat and veto power in the Security Council. Africa's demands are known and enunciated in the Ezulwini consensus.

Mr. President,

We further call for the U.N. system to refrain from interfering in matters that are clearly the domain of member states and are not a threat to international peace and security. Development at country level should continue to be country-led, and not subject to the whims of powerful donor states.

Mr President,

Zimbabwe won its independence on 18th April, 1980, after a protracted war against British colonial imperialism which denied us human rights and democracy. That colonial system which suppressed and oppressed us enjoyed the support of many countries of the West who were signatories to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Even after 1945, it would appear that the Berlin Conference of 1884, through which Africa was parcelled to colonial European powers, remained stronger than the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is therefore clear that for the West, vested economic interests, racial and ethnocentric considerations proved stronger than their adherence to principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The West still negates our sovereignties by way of control of our resources, in the process making us mere chattels in out own lands, mere minders of its trans-national interests. In my own country and other sister states in Southern Africa, the most visible form of this control has been over land despoiled from us at the onset of British colonialism.

That control largely persists, although it stands firmly challenged in Zimbabwe, thereby triggering the current stand-off between us and Britain, supported by her cousin states, most notably the United States and Australia. Mr Bush, Mr. Blair and now Mr Brown's sense of human rights precludes our people's right to their God-given resources, which in their view must be controlled by their kith and kin. I am termed dictator because I have rejected this supremacist view and frustrated the neo-colonialists.

Mr President,

Clearly the history of the struggle for out own national and people's rights is unknown to the president of the United States of America. He thinks the Declaration of Human Rights starts with his last term in office! He thinks she can introduce to us, who bore the brunt of fighting for the freedoms of our peoples, the virtues of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What rank hypocrisy!

Mr President,

I lost eleven precious years of my life in the jail of a white man whose freedom and well- being I have assured from the first day of Zimbabwe's Independence. I lost a further fifteen years fighting white injustice in my country.

Ian Smith is responsible for the death of well over 50 000 of my people. I bear scars of his tyranny which Britain and America condoned. I meet his victims everyday. Yet he walks free. He farms free. He talks freely, associates freely under a black Government. We taught him democracy. We gave him back his humanity.

He would have faced a different fate here and in Europe if the 50 000 he killed were Europeans. Africa has not called for a Nuremberg trial against the white world which committed heinous crimes against its own humanity. It has not hunted perpetrators of this genocide, many of whom live to this day, nor has it got reparations from those who offended against it. Instead it is Africa which is in the dock, facing trial from the same world that persecuted it for centuries.

Let Mr. Bush read history correctly. Let him realise that both personally and in his representative capacity as the current President of the United States, he stands for this "civilisation" which occupied, which colonised, which incarcerated, which killed. He has much to atone for and very little to lecture us on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His hands drip with innocent blood of many nationalities.

He still kills.

He kills in Iraq. He kills in Afghanistan. And this is supposed to be out master on human rights?

He imprisons.

He imprisons and tortures at Guantanamo. He imprisoned and tortured at Abu Ghraib. He has secret torture chambers in Europe. Yes, he imprisons even here in the United States, with his jails carrying more blacks than his universities can ever enroll. He even suspends the provisions of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Take Guantanamo for example; at that concentration camp international law does not apply. The national laws of the people there do not apply. Laws of the United States of America do not apply. Only Bush's law applies. Can the international community accept being lectured by this man on the provisions of the universal declaration of human rights? Definitely not!

Mr President, We are alarmed that under his leadership, basic rights of his own people and those of the rest of the world have summarily been rolled back. America is primarily responsible for rewriting core tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We seem all guilty for 9/11. Mr. Bush thinks he stands above all structures of governance, whether national or international.

At home, he apparently does not need the Congress. Abroad, he does not need the UN, international law and opinion. This forum did not sanction Blair and Bush's misadventures in Iraq. The two rode roughshod over the UN and international opinion. Almighty Bush is now corning back to the UN for a rescue package because his nose is bloodied! Yet he dares lecture us on tyranny. Indeed, he wants us to pray him! We say No to him and encourage him to get out of Iraq. Indeed he should mend his ways before he clambers up the pulpit to deliver pieties of democracy.

Mr President,

The British and the Americans have gone on a relentless campaign of destabilising and vilifying my country. They have sponsored surrogate forces to challenge lawful authority in my country. They seek regime change, placing themselves in the role of the Zimbabwean people in whose collective will democracy places the right to define and change regimes.

Let these sinister governments be told here and now that Zimbabwe will not allow a regime change authored by outsiders. We do not interfere with their own systems in America and Britain. Mr Bush and Mr Brown have no role to play in our national affairs. They are outsiders and mischievous outsiders and should therefore keep out! The colonial sun set a long time ago; in 1980in the case of Zimbabwe, and hence Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. Never!

We do not deserve sanctions. We are Zimbabweans and we know how to deal with our problems. We have done so in the past, well before Bush and Brown were known politically. We have our own regional and continental organizations and communities.

In that vein, I wish to express my country's gratitude to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa who, on behalf of SADC, successfully facilitated the dialogue between the Ruling Party and the Opposition Parties, which yielded the agreement that has now resulted in the constitutional provisions being finally adopted. Consequently, we will be holding multiple democratic elections in March 2008. Indeed we have always had timeous general and presidential elections since our independence.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, let me stress once more that the strength of the United Nations lies in its universality and impartiality as it implements its mandate to promote peace and security, economic and social development, human rights and international law as outlined in the Charter. Zimbabwe stands ready to play its part in all efforts and programmes aimed at achieving these noble goals.

I thank you.