Bobby Mugabe is coming to town!
Harare - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has taken his family on a month-long annual holiday to Malaysia despite the loss of life caused by Sunday's disastrous tsunami wave, which devastated resorts there and along the coasts of many nations bordering the Indian Ocean.Politburo? Catchy name! Actually, they were probably at the airport to make sure he really left. But based on last year's road trip, it will be good news for the Malaysian economy:
State radio reported on Tuesday the 80-year-old head of state and his delegation were seen off at Harare airport by vice-presidents Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru and members of his elite policy-making body, the Politburo.
January 18 2003I'm sure it gets real tedious hanging around the palace and trying to ignore the whining from the starving population.
By Douglas Carew
When it comes to lavish Christmas spending, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe is king.
Mugabe has outdone his big-spending spin doctor Jonathan Moyo by flying to Singapore to indulge in a huge shopping spree of his own, while back home millions of his countrymen face starvation, partly because of Mugabe's failed policies.
Information Minister Moyo's two week spending spree in Johannesburg received extensive news coverage this week, but Mugabe went to even greater lengths to stock up on expensive goods for himself and beat the shortages caused by the Zimbabwean economy's state of near paralysis.
Singapore is south-east Asia's premier shopping destination, with thousands of shops selling the best the world's manufacturers have to offer, and Mugabe stocked up with 15 trolley loads, including high-tech electronic goods.
But something more seems to be going on:
The Zimbabwe government has denied media reports that controversial information minister Jonathan Moyo has tendered his resignation to acting president Joyce Mujuru.Looks like ole Bobby has been making a list and checking it twice! On the other hand, can you imagine anything more laughable than spying on Zimbabwe? Sheesh, I could do it without even taking off my jammies - "Everyone is starving but Bobby's pals, and his thugs are killing people. Just like yesterday."
Moyo allegedly sent his resignation by fax from Kenya, where he is on holiday, but Mujuru reportedly refused to accept it, referring the matter to President Robert Mugabe who is on vacation in Malaysia.
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However, senior official sources confirmed the story, and said Moyo's decision to quit was linked to his removal from the ruling ZANU-PF's powerful Soviet-style politburo and central committee.
Moyo's political fortunes started to wane in December after he organised a meeting of key party members in his rural home of Tsholotsho ahead of ZANU-PF's congress, allegedly aimed at thwarting Mugabe's candidate for the post of vice-president, Mujuru.
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Moyo's misfortunes coincide with those of colourful business man and high-profile ZANU-PF member, Philip Chiyangwa, who was also opposed to Mugabe's choice of vice president.
Chiyangwa and four senior ruling party officials, including Zimbabwe's ambassador to Mozambique, have been in solitary confinement for two weeks on charges of spying for "foreign powers".
They allegedly provided confidential ZANU-PF information to spy masters based in South Africa.
