Posted on 06/09/2005 7:50:31 PM PDT by blam
Speech by Mugabe 'proves he is losing his mind'
By David Blair in Johannesburg
(Filed: 10/06/2005)
President Robert Mugabe was accused yesterday of displaying "senile dementia" when he boasted to Zimbabwe's parliament that "great strides" were being taken towards "economic recovery".
The president hailed the march of progress in a capital where bulldozers have demolished thriving factories and township shacks alike, throwing tens of thousands on to the streets.
Robert Mugabe at the opening of parliament
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change denounced his stumbling, hesitant performance at the official opening of parliament, saying that Mr Mugabe had finally lost any "grasp of reality".
The razing of townships and street markets across Zimbabwe has now led to 30,000 people being arrested and 200,000 left homeless.
According to the United Nations, two young children died of exposure last week, after they were left homeless in mid-winter, with night-time temperatures falling to zero.
Yet there has been no stirring of protest or resistance.
A general strike called for yesterday flopped, undermined by poor organisation and the glaring failure of Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, to stand up to the regime.
This has allowed Mr Mugabe to escape any pressure over his urban clearances. Five years ago he was heckled by hostile demonstrators at the opening of parliament.
This time he rode unmolested to the ceremony in a gleaming Rolls Royce once used by Lord Soames, the last governor of Rhodesia.
Inside the parliament building in central Harare, Mr Mugabe, 81, sat upon the green speaker's throne and declared 2005 the year of "investment and development" for Zimbabwe.
"Investment, both internal and external, is the sine qua non for sustainable development for any country," he said.
Mr Mugabe added that Zimbabwe was making "great strides towards economic recovery". Tourism was enjoying a "strong recovery", he said, and the demolitions in the townships were a "vigorous clean-up campaign to restore sanity and order in urban and other areas".
In reality, Zimbabwe suffers inflation of 130 per cent and more than one third of its economy has been wiped out in the last five years.
The president's speech "reflects his senile dementia," said Tendai Biti, the MDC's secretary for economic affairs. "Any decent doctor will tell you that once you are in your eighties, you lose your memory, you lose your grasp of reality and you have no grip of time or space. That's what is happening with this old man."
Ping.
I'm kind of surprised opposing politicians can call him these names and not be killed. He seems to rule with an iron fist.
He lost it a long time ago.
That idiot has lived far longer than he has a right to.
Sounds like he would be comfortable being locked in a motel room with Dean and ALgore for 60 days.
He'd lose it a lot faster if someone would "ventilate" his skull.
Actually the leader of the opposition, the MDC, is almost as big a fool as Mugabe.
"Speech By Mugabe 'Proves He Is Losing His Mind'"
Good!!!
When the congressional black caucus "honored" Mugabe a few years back, Gore was one of the speakers. Mugabe didn't attend, he would have been arrested if he had.
Why do all African thugs think that dressing like a gay version of Mussolini will impress anybody? Don't they remember what happened to Idi Amin?
"When the congressional black caucus "honored" Mugabe a few years back"
Why can't they just be honest, they're the communist black caucus.
Why hasnt someone shot the old bastard yet?
How is Mugabe any different than Howard Dean?
All these nutjob dictators need to be taken out one by one if the world and, especially Africa, wants to join the modern human society.
*****The president's speech "reflects his senile dementia," said Tendai Biti, the MDC's secretary for economic affairs. "Any decent doctor will tell you that once you are in your eighties, you lose your memory, you lose your grasp of reality and you have no grip of time or space. That's what is happening with this old man."*****
OK FINE... SO REPLACE HIM...
Wow..having a president of that age is quite weird for me... he might have poor eyesight, hearing problems!
*****The president's speech "reflects his senile dementia," said Tendai Biti, the MDC's secretary for economic affairs. "Any decent doctor will tell you that once you are in your eighties, you lose your memory, you lose your grasp of reality and you have no grip of time or space. That's what is happening with this old man."*****
OK FINE... SO REPLACE HIM...
Wow..having a president of that age is quite weird for me... he might have poor eyesight, hearing problems!
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