Meeting Mr Mugabe

Meeting Mr Mugabe

MUGABE

• 'I am not seeking re-election' - Mugabe

• Mugabe out by December - Shamuyarira

• Mugabe out in 5 years

• Mugabe birthday sparks retirement talk

• Leave us alone - Mugabe

• Mugabe pulls Zim out of C'nwealth

• Mugabe not stepping down

By Staff Reporter

AS a Sky News crew tried in vain to interview Zimbabwean tyrant Robert Mugabe, a team of four East African Standard journalists were granted a rare interview, and here they reflect on the moment they came face to face with Zimbabwe's President for 24 years

"WHEN we arrived in Harare, we were introduced to an official in the Office of the President, who was to be our official tour guide and programme controller.

Mugabe had sent word through the official that he would only see us after we completed our tour of the various areas to see the land situation, the impact and what the new farmers say.

And so after the groundwork, the Minister for Information, Prof. Jonathan Moyo, assured us that the interview with the President would be on Wednesday morning.

It was the same minister who had informed us that a crew from Sky News — that had been in the country for two weeks — had been confined in a hotel and finally had their interview with the President cancelled.

The cancellation, according to Moyo, "was only to prove to whoever they were working for that we are the authority and fully in charge and not that we did not want them to meet the President".

The Sky News crew, which we met while in Harare, was later ordered to pack and leave. Their accreditation had been cancelled, and the letter communicating this bade them farewell in French — Bon Voyage!

Our interview was to be next. But as the big day drew nearer it was with apprehension rather than glee that we approached the meeting.

We were somewhat apprehensive following the Sky News debacle and feared that our interview might not materialise even after having had to extend our stay in Harare by two days to accommodate it.

On Tuesday evening, Moyo informed us the interview was set for Wednesday morning at exactly 9.15 am. And the next morning, we were ready for it. With our luggage in the
car — because departure home would follow soon after — we set out for the Zanu PF Headquarters, in the city centre to interview the President.

When we arrived at around 8.45 am, everything was quiet.

Mugabe arrived at about 9.45 am with full military escort. He entered his office, consulted his Personal Assistant for about an hour as he prepared for the interview.

At last, it was time to get into his ornate office. And as we entered, the President was standing to one side of the door. For his 80 years, he looked strong and composed, quite like the images of him that one sees on TV.

In a jovial mood, he welcomed us, shaking our hands and personally asking our full names.

He was very flexible throughout the interview and at times even cracked jokes and laughed for a whole minute, a hearty deep laughter!

He was happy to see us, he said, and was also very keen to know how former Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi was doing.

His petite and simple office has one big portrait of himself and a set of simple leather coaches.

Mugabe sat across the table and we were about one metre away from him. Three civilian bodyguards stood at the back of the room.

Behind us, our cameramen moved freely, trying to catch close-ups of a man who has become known worldwide for the controversial land acquisitions. But what apparently puts him off is Tony Blair and his government. At the mention of the name, he would cringe with anger.

The interview lasted an hour and a half as the President took us through the history of the land wrangles between British and his government.

And at the end of it, the President pleaded with us to come back to Zimbabwe for a holiday.

"You are always welcome and I wish you a safe journey home, say hello to my friend Daniel Moi with whom I share several things in common. My best wishes also to President Mwai Kibaki and I wish him quick recovery," he said as we left his office.

It was then that I realised I had not detected any regret on the face of the man whose actions had led to Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the Commonwealth."
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com