Mugabe threatens remaining whites in Zimbabwe

VICTORIA FALLS – President Robert Mugabe had nothing new to tell thousands of his supporters who gathered to celebrate his birthday at the luxurious resort hotel in Victoria Falls on Saturday.

Mugabe took the opportunity to attack his erstwhile enemies the British and the Americans for imposing sanctions on him.

“They (the US) can’t have it both ways if they want to be friends then they must be friends with us in total and we allow them to have some safaris,” he said.

“But they can’t say allow our people to visit, allow our people to have safaris, to kill our lions and take safari trophies to America,” he added.

In his speech, Mugabe said a recent audit showed whites still control vast tracts of Zimbabwean land despite an often violent land reform program that saw thousands of white farmers evicted to make way for blacks.

“Zimbabwe has lots of safaris but very few are African. Most are white-owned. In our region, we have the most safaris and animals. But we are now going to invade those forests. Our people cannot keep suffering,” Mugabe said.

He said he will only allow whites to own animal sanctuaries if the United States removes sanctions imposed on him, his wife and some members of his inner circle. The West has long sparred with Mugabe over his human rights record.

“We can do things for ourselves. We don’t need the white man to continue to guide us,” Mugabe said.

Last week the European Union met to review the progress of the restrictive measures on Zimbabwe and resolved to leave only Mugabe and his wife on the travel ban until rule of law is returned in the country.