HARARE – Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe has threatened to act against companies from western countries that have imposed sanctions on his party over suspected election fraud and human rights abuses.
The 86-year-old leader repeated threats to nationalise foreign firms which operate in Zimbabwe.
“We ask them, think again, think now. Is it sanctions or no sanctions.
“We will be very, very strict to the extent of refusing investment from those countries (that have imposed sanctions),” Mugabe told Zanu-PF supporters at the end of the party’s annual conference on Saturday.
He told reporters after the conference that the companies “have to get their mother countries to remove sanctions or there will be sanctions against them”.
The government early this year published rules forcing foreign-owned companies worth over $500,000 to sell at least 51 percent of their shares to local blacks.
Mr Mugabe said his party was well prepared for elections next year, adding that his opponents would not win as happened in 2008 when Zanu-PF lost its majority in parliament.
Mugabe also lost the presidential vote to Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai but retained power after a disputed run-off vote, which forced the two rivals to form a power-sharing government last year.
“What happened in 2008 is gone. The year 2008 is not coming back, never ever, never ever. Zanu-PF operates as an entity with a mission and we are on a mission to re-establish ourselves, our dominance,” he told supporters.
Zanu-PF also resolved to expel envoys and relief agencies who meddle in local politics and tasked the government to draft a treason law for people or organisations that call for sanctions and to hold elections next year.