Posted on 12/20/2002 10:12:06 PM PST by Clive
Harare - President Robert Mugabe on Thursday appealed to Zimbabwe's business community - which he has regularly accused of sabotaging government policies - to help ease crippling food shortages and an economic crisis.
Nearly half the country's 14 million people are short of food. Mugabe blames drought but his critics say the real fault is the seizure of white-owned commercial farms in what used to be the regional breadbasket.
"I appeal especially to our corporate citizens to play a visible, responsible and meaningful role to complement the government effort," the president said in an end-of- year address to parliament.
"The man and woman standing in need of food cannot apply himself or herself when he or she is concerned about where the next family meal is coming from," Mugabe said.
'We have been
criticised for doing the right thing' He said household food stocks had practically run out in most areas and that imports had to meet the gap.
In what appeared to be a message to foreign donors worried about unjust allocation of food to his supporters, he said aid would go to the needy "strictly on the basis of their numbers and survival needs across the country".
Mugabe urged beneficiaries of his controversial land reform drive to repay the country through increased agricultural production, saying Zimbabwe had paid heavily for the programme.
"We have been criticised for doing the right thing, namely accomplishing the sovereign mission of acquiring our heritage," he said.
Mugabe's 30-minute speech was boycotted by members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
'This Blair-led
anti-Zimbabwe drive is as unjustified as it is spiteful' Mugabe made no direct reference to a severe fuel shortage that had almost paralysed the land-locked country.
He lashed out again at former colonial power Britain, accusing Prime Minister Tony Blair of running a hysterical propaganda campaign aimed at demonising his leadership.
"Britain's relentless campaign of vilifying and isolating our country has hit a frenzy matched only by its futility.
"There is a growing recognition that this Blair-led anti- Zimbabwe drive is as unjustified as it is spiteful," he said.
Britain says Mugabe is trying to divert the spotlight from his government's human rights abuses, political repression and election rigging.
A Zimbabwe cabinet minister said the country had ordered fuel worth over $15-million (about R135-million) from Kuwait and South Africa to ease the shortage.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's main opposition said on Thursday that it would reject international pressure to join a reform-minded government unless President Mugabe stepped down immediately.
The opposition blames Mugabe for the country's economic and political meltdown.
Mugabe, in an annual state of the nation address to parliament in Harare later on Thursday, made no mention of any initiative involving the opposition.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, said South Africa - backed by Britain - was trying to restart talks between the opposition and Mugabe's ruling party.- Reuters and Sapa-AP
Hang tough Tsvangirai, with your MDC. Mugabe may be getting wobbly.
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