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Addressing hundreds of mourners in Zvimba during the burial of Headman Enock Chimbamauro (86), the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, implored Zimbabweans to vote wisely by shunning “sellouts”.

 

“Kuri kuzouya rusaruroka zvakare. Chatisingade kurwisana pakati pedu — pfungwa chete nehunhu ndizvo zvatinoda. Unogona here kutungamirira? Hatidi vatengesi muno,” he said.

President Mugabe challenged Zanu-PF to win back seats it lost to MDC-T in previous elections.

“Hameno kuya kuri kunzi takatadza (Zanu-PF) asi Zvimba haina. Kumwe kwakapindwa navaye vanofunga kuti murungu ndiye mwari wavo,” he said.

The President bemoaned lack of cohesion in the inclusive Government. He accused MDC formations of working against Government’s black empowerment programmes such as the land reform.

The President said it was shocking that MDC-T wanted to reverse the land reform programme.

Thousands of once marginalised indigenous people were resettled under Government’s land reform.

He vowed to forge ahead with programmes that empower indigenous people despite fierce opposition from MDC-T and its Western allies.

“Ndiri mwana wekwaZvimba ropa ndirori ranaVaChimbamauro. Handiziropa rohugwara, handidududzi saka nyika ndeyedu,” he said.

President Mugabe said those who condemned his leadership were bitter because he was economically empowering his people by taking from the minority and giving to the majority.

Zimbabwe, he said, was ready to work with foreign investors who respect Government’s black economic empowerment programme.

“Takatora nyika. Totora zvese nemigodhi hatingarambi tichipfumisa mabhunu. Hama vanobva kunze tinoda kushanda nemi asi musauya muchida kuzotitonga,” he said.

“Zvino maBritish akati aiwa matitorera nyika tokupayi zvirango, masanctions, tikati endai kwenyu tinekwedu.”
President Mugabe expressed sorrow over the death of Headman Chimbamauro on Saturday.

“Tiritose pakusvimha, tiritose pakurwadziwa pamoyo nokusiiwa kwataitwa naishe wedu. Tine hurombo chaizvo panezvaitika,” he said.

President Mugabe narrated how he worked closely with Headman Chimbamauro.

“Takanga tichishanda pamwechete munyaya dzekwaZvimba, VaChimbamauro vanga vasingashayike.

“Tanga tichishanda tiritose. Imi woye tingave vanhu vanezvigaro zvakati kuti asi kuzosvika ususukidzwe kuti ndiwe wava mukuru wenyika yose unenge wabvaka kumidzi . . . HuZvimba huri muropa paitika njodzi yakadai haukanganwi kuti ndiko kwatinobva,” he said.

President Mugabe described Headman Chimbamauro as a leader “who loved and united his people”.

He said he played a pivotal role during the land redistribution exercise. Headman Chimbamauro was the most senior headman in Zvimba.

Senior Government officials who included Mashonaland West Provincial Governor Faber Chidarikire and Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo were among hundreds of people who attended the funeral.