来源: The Guardian
Calls for Robert Mugabe to quit after he reads wrong speech at parliament
http://tinyurl.com/q4wlpar
Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s 91-year-old president, has read out the wrong
speech at the opening of parliament, an error the main opposition used to
question whether Africa’s oldest leader was still of a sound mind.
Mugabe, the only ruler the southern African state has known since it was
recognised in 1980, delivered the same speech he gave on 25 August, pinning
his hopes on China to help revive Zimbabwe’s struggling economy.
He finished the speech without interruption and his spokesman blamed
officials, adding that the president would read the correct speech at a later
date.
“The mix-up happened in his secretarial office. Therefore the delivery in
parliament should be set aside,” spokesman George Charamba was quoted as
saying by the online edition of the government-owned Herald newspaper.
But the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is
critical of Mugabe’s long rule, said the blunder called into question his
fitness to hold office.
Mugabe shows no visible signs of illness and has denied reports that he
suffers from prostate cancer. He has dismissed a fall at Harare airport on 4
April as a simple slip.
“This is a historic blunder. Anyone who is still of a sound mind would have
quickly picked it up that the speech was the wrong one,” MDC spokesman Obert
Gutu told Reuters. “But it dovetails with what we in the MDC have been
saying that Robert Mugabe is no longer fit for purpose. He should resign.”
Earlier, parliament suspended live television and radio broadcasting of Mugabe
’s speech after the MDC threatened to disrupt the event.
MDC MP Innocent Gonese told parliament the opposition would disrupt
proceedings to protest against anonymous death threats made against them.
The speaker, Jacob Mudenda, however, warned MDC members they would face
contempt charges. Broadcasting was then suspended before Mugabe started his
speech.
The opposition had booed and heckled Mugabe about the deteriorating economy
during his speech in August.
Mugabe arrived at parliament in a vintage black Rolls-Royce with his wife
Grace, and inspected a guard of honour. The 91-year-old leader was also
treated to a flypast by three fighter jets and to a 21-gun salute.