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Nduduzo Tshuma/Tendai Mugabe, Chronicle Reporters
PRESIDENT Mugabe has called on Zimbabweans to work towards developing their country’s economy and shun the culture of seeking jobs in other countries where they are not wanted.

Addressing delegates at his 93rd birthday celebrations in Matobo on Saturday, President Mugabe revealed requests made by the United Kingdom for the Government to issue passports to Zimbabweans based in that country so that they come back home.

“In England they are saying assist us by giving them passports so that they come back home, how did they get there in the first place? How did you receive them? They don’t want them in Europe so this is what they are doing,” he said.

Some Zimbabweans left the country at the height of sanctions-induced economic challenges between 2000 to 2009 making false claims to Western countries including the UK where they presented themselves as targets of political persecution so that they could be granted asylum.

Ironically, the UK and its Western allies who are responsible for the economic problems dogging the country through the imposition of illegal sanctions, admitted those Zimbabweans that they now want to get rid of.

President Mugabe told the gathering that he had the previous day followed United States President Donald Trump’s address to the Republican Party’s conference in Maryland where the American leader insisted on his “America for Americans” mantra.

He said Mr Trump insisted that the US would build a wall along its border with Mexico to block Mexicans from crossing into US territory.

“He (Trump) is going to build a wall, yesterday he said there will be a wall soon. That jobs should be given to Americans. Now when you have a situation like that in America, surely for you to want to go to America to look for jobs is stupid,” said President Mugabe.

“In a country that is chasing non-Americans, what is it that you lack in your country? What is it that you will get in America which you cannot get in Zimbabwe?

“I have never seen a single person who, after working for so many years in America, has come back with so much money. They always come back poor hunting for jobs. With all those years spent in America, where did your money go to?”

Cde Mugabe said instead of going to places where they are not wanted, Zimbabweans should work hard to utilise the country’s natural resources to generate wealth.

“So, let us value our own country and its natural resources; work hard to transform our natural resources. And as we work to transform our socio-economic system, improve on our agriculture through Zim-Asset, improve on our industry and commerce, improve on our infrastructure and ICT; you will see a better Zimbabwe,” said the President.

He said the Bond notes being used in the country are just temporary.

“We ask you to bear with us as we had to adopt them for a short period,” Cde Mugabe said.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe has said he will not allow a weak and vacillating leader to take over as his successor as such a person could reverse the gains of independence.

He said national programmes such as the land reform were at the heart of the liberation struggle and everything should be done to safeguard them.

President Mugabe said his remarks were informed by reports that former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, who now heads the fractious Zimbabwe People First, wanted to reverse the land reform programme.

He told thousands of Zanu-PF supporters and well-wishers who attended this year’s edition of the 21st February Movement that Zimbabwe needed resolute and focused leaders with a capacity to carry forward the values and ethos of the liberation struggle.

“I will be deciding who, among the people that are there is the most suitable,” said the President.

“Those that are strong and don’t look back. Those are the people we will be considering when the time comes, we don’t want a leader who will say what Cde Mugabe was doing, to take land from the whites was wrong, let’s give their land back. Then we will fight. Even when we are dead, our spirit fights, saying why giving our land back to the boers? What has gone wrong? I am saying this because some of those who were in the struggle with us like Mai (Joice) Mujuru are saying they give the farms back to the whites and we are saying ah so that’s what you’re contemplating to do. We don’t do that.”

Over 300 000 families directly benefited from the fast-track land reform programme launched in 2000, including members of the opposition MDC-T that has threatened to give land back to white former farmers.