Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has said the government is open to negotiations with anyone but the legal process has to be followed to its logical conclusion and that the focus now was on completing the election run-off as enshrined in the Constitution, The Herald reported on Wednesday.
Addressing star rallies at Banket Secondary School and Dema Growth Point in western Zimbabwe on Tuesday, Mugabe said the talks have to come in an agreeable manner. "We are open, open to discussion but we have our own principles," he said.
"If they (opposition) have problems they can always bring them forward and that is how we came up with amendments to Aippa and Posa," he said.
Mugabe said the Southern African Development Community (SADC)was there simply as a forum for the parties to operate in. "However, those who seek to impose themselves on us and make idiotic noises would not bother us," he said.
The president also said the government would not tolerate interference from any quarter because Zimbabweans would decide whether the elections are free and fair.
"We are a sovereign nation and the elections are ours. We will accept judgment on the basis of objectivity. If you harbour any ulterior motives then keep your judgment to yourself. The verdict is ours as the people of Zimbabwe. They can shout as loud as they want from Washington and London, but our people will deliver the final verdict," he said.
Zimbabwe, Mugabe declared, was ready to repel and resist any threat or hint of interference in the internal political system , saying any settlement of the impasse or disagreements with the opposition MDC-T should not be foisted from outside but should have its roots in the country.
He said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had already processed ballot papers and postal ballots and the election would go ahead as planned this Friday and Tsvangirai could not withdraw from the poll now.
Mugabe said it was surprising some African countries do not appreciate the difficulties Zimbabwe has gone through because of the illegal sanctions imposed by the West.
"Not a single African country has been bold enough to say that the illegal sanctions imposed by the West should be lifted or tell them not to interfere in our internal affairs. If we can allow that to happen then as Africa we are not yet independent," he lamented, adding that Zimbabwe refuses to be subjected to such domination and treatment.
Foreigners, he said should come to trade as equal partners and enjoy the benefits inherent in the country and should not dictate term.
He castigated Tsvangirai for seeking "refuge" at the Dutch Embassy, saying that the opposition leader was running scared of the political "hurricane" threatening to throw him and his party into the dustbin of political history on Friday.
He said Tsvangirai should go back and face members of his party who are rumored to be baying for his blood after they failed to get what they were promised during the March 29 elections campaign.
Mugabe said people were constantly losing direction despite efforts to alert them of the cunning nature of the British and their allies.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article