Staff Reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa reminded the world yesterday that Zimbabwe was a proponent of democracy and that no one could teach the country about it as it was the reason for the protracted war of liberation.

While addressing hordes of Zanu PF supporters at the mother of all Star Rallies in Tongogara, Shurugwi, President Mnangagwa reminded those with a zeal to teach Zimbabwe about democracy to remember that it was one of the major reasons Zimbabweans took up arms.

"The Zanu PF Government and our Party are entrenching democracy and good governance, and no one is qualified to teach us about democracy.

"We spent 16 years in the armed struggle; we were fighting for independence and freedom. No one can teach us about democracy because we fought for it and we know it.

"Many of our brothers and sisters perished for us to be free, so no one should ever want to teach us democracy. It is fresh for us," President Mnangagwa said.

President Mnangagwa further informed us that, as a country, Zimbabwe wanted free and fair elections for itself more than any other country or organisation.

"It is us, not any other country or international organisation, who wish free, fair, and transparent elections; it is us. We are doing this because we want free and fair elections, not them, but us," said President Mnangagwa.

Furthermore, the President lambasted the illegal sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwe and added that, as a country, we managed to turn around what was meant to harm us for our growth.

"The illegal sanctions were imposed on us 23 years ago, not by the United Nations (UN) but by a few countries. Before,  we were worried about sanctions, but now we don’t feel them anymore because they have taught us to think outside the box.

"Look at what is happening to our agricultural sector; we are now food secure under sanctions. Look at our mining sector; we have reached the US$12 billion mining economy, and the shops now have locally manufactured goods. We are actually doing better under sanctions," said the President.

President Mnangagwa concluded by encouraging his supporters to reject puppet governments and wolves in sheep's skin by voting Zanu PF in the August 23 Harmonised General Elections.