By Tendai Kamhungira
While Zimbabweans are struggling to access their cash trapped in banks, President Robert Mugabe on Friday sneaked to Papua New Guinea for the 8th Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States — something the MDC said in a statement is the clearest sign that the nonagenarian is a “selfish leader”.
Ironically, Mugabe is the only head of state at the summit where some leaders have sent representatives.
“After the so-called million-man march in Harare where crowds were rented and school heads suffered extortion to surrender school buses by force, Mugabe is at it again. His foreign trips never cease and it seems like he gets sick if he spends a single month in Harare,” MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said in a statement yesterday.
Gutu claimed that Mugabe, who left for the summit on Friday night, has this year alone gobbled up $80 million in foreign trips.
“This is the president who likes to please the world, and enjoys trying to fix global issues yet he cannot fix the economy under his chin,” Gutu said.
Gutu further condemned Mugabe’s trip to Papua New Guinea, saying it shows the nonagenarian leader’s “cavalier” approach to issues.
“People have spoken but he remains mute, deaf and blind. His obstinacy is amazing. Even trips that require a secretary of a ministry, Mugabe takes over. To date, he lives as the most travelled African leader who brought home more hunger, poverty and suffering.”
Gutu castigated Mugabe’s approach, saying he cannot be trusted to continue leading the country, as his foreign trips are always bloated with hangers on.
Amid hunger and poverty, Zanu PF seems to be unmoved and last week organised a march to endorse Mugabe’s candidature for the 2018 elections.
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing serious economic problems, with the government failing to even raise civil servants’ salaries on time.
Efforts to get comment from Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba on this trip were fruitless yesterday. Daily News