We Are Not Making Zimbabweans Homeless -Ambassador

Source from:  Daily Trust (Abuja) November 18, 2005 Elkanah Chawai and Aisha Umar 11/22/2005

John Mvundura is Zimbabwe's ambassador to Nigeria. A seasoned diplomat with twenty-five years' experience in the circle, he was the dean of Zimbabwean Diplomatic Corps. He was also the first ambassador to be appointed in Zimbabwe. He bares his mind on the Zimbabwean political landscape and the controversial land and demolition issues. In this exclusive interview, he accused the Western media of the negative news about his country. Excerpts: Tell us about yourself? My name is John Shumba Mvundura. I am a Zimbabwean diplomat. I have been ambassador of Zimbabwe since 1980. I have been doing the same job in various places in Africa. In 1963, I became a member of Zanu PF youth. Later, I went into higher politics. In 1980, President Mugabe became the prime minister and head of government. That was when I was appointed an ambassador and the first ambassador to Mozambique where we launched our struggle from. I was in Mozambique for eight years as an ambassador. In 1988, the president recalled me and decided to re-post me to Malawi. I facilitated a cease fire agreement between rebels and the government. After that, the president recalled me again to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I worked there as a head of legal and protocol department. Later, I decided to take a voluntary retirement. But the president recalled me to open the embassy in Libya. I stayed there from 2000 to 2004. My main assignment was to get oil to Zimbabwe because we are a land-locked country. The Libyans under the leadership of Muammer Ghaddafi understood us and the oil deal went well. From there, the president transferred me to Nigeria at the end of 2004. I presented my credential in February, 2005. On my education, I studied political science and completed my PhD degree in 2001. The western media has portrayed Zimbabwe in bad light like the political turmoil and food shortage. Give us a glimpse into the political atmosphere in Zimbabwe? Let me take you back to history, but I want to thank Nigeria for its contributions in 1976 and 1979. That was the peak of our struggle. When we were in Lusaka where they held the Commonwealth Summit, we agreed that we should go to Lancaster in London. The liberation leaders were given an aircraft by Nigeria to go to London. From Lancaster, the constitution was to be decided on and we came back, holding that constitution. But during the Lancaster conference, we had bitter arguments on the land questions because the historical and racial imbalances were there. It was our concern. Even now, a country can't be called its name without land. We couldn't call Zimbabwe- Zimbabwe for what? We are on land, whatever flies will land, so land was important. Britain agreed during Lancaster conference because we said that we can't go and buy our land which was invaded by these occupants and that we can't give them money for that. The British and the Americans agreed to give the white farmers money to buy or sell, willingly, the farms. But for the equipment, infrastructure and the houses, it was the responsibility of the government and we agreed. Zimbabwe and the leadership of Mugabe agreed. The house and the infrastructure were all improvements and we agreed to compensate them. They agreed and signed. It went on. That was under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher and it was a conservative government; it was signed by the Queen. Later, we asked to go into implementation. We started that but it was a long space. Margaret Thatcher had just put in about 20 per cent of the contribution that was really needed. But she didn't appear to be doing something about it and later John Major came in and continued with the same pace. In 1997, when the Labour Party took over in Britain under the leadership of Tony Blair, President Mugabe congratulated him on his new leadership and even sent in a high-powered delegation to London to welcome him into government and inform him about the programme that we have been pursuing. We told him that we wanted to pursue these issues. During that discussion- I remember an Irish lady categorically refused and said that they were a new government and they were not obliged to pay. They said they weren't going to pay or do anything about the land issue in Zimbabwe. Those ministers came empty handed and reported back and flashed it in the media every where. The people on the streets could easily read and understand what transpired in London. But from there, our president didn't stop. He said that I should come down and organise a donor conference in order for other people to understand our plight that Britain is not willing. There was a donor conference and people came from many countries and they pledged a lot to help the land reforms. In our understanding, the West went round to discourage those who pledged and they were not forth-coming. President Mugabe was left without any choice. He once warned that there could be a volcano that will erupt soon because he could see the vibration from the populace. Later, the local chiefs became agitated about vast land that was unused and they told Mugabe that they were going to demonstrate their right to take their land back and they did. About the last elections, reports had it that the elections were flawed and that the oppositions were suppressed. How would you react to this? Let me say that Zimbabwe does not want to be re-colonised again. Secondly, we don't want Zimbabwe to be driven by a remote control; never. We don't want somebody to come and dominate in the ruling of Zimbabwe once more. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans. And at the same time, we can't go with somebody who is driven by remote control to have a regime change over a legitimate government for that matter. We have been going to elections from 1980 up till now and we never skipped any elections. But now, because the western world is waiting with the opposition for a regime change, what else could they have said? Even journalists are hypnotised by the Western world. In Africa, we had a team which came to observe the elections. Other countries, including Nig