“Our erstwhile former colonisers still wants to govern us by remote control.”

“I don’t feel lonely. There are others who think as I do, whose ideals I share. But what one notices is lack of courage… a kind of surrender to European authority, I suppose it’s because of poverty.”

“None of them will stand up and say to them ‘go to hell’. We shrink in asserting our rights. We need much more courage in the African Union.”

“As for outsiders they should keep away. We have entertained them because we did not want to offend, some of them are our friends but really there have nothing to intervene here about, nothing at all. We have a democratic environment, a democratic constitution.”

“Those who say printing money will cause inflation are suggesting that you just fold your hands and say ‘aah, let the situation continue and let the people starve.’ The Good Lord up there has given you a brain and the brain must function, not in a stereotyped manner but in a flexible manner… so I will print money today so that people can survive.”

Robert Mugabe – speaking in February 2006 in a 90 minute interview on government-owned television, ZBC. (My thanks to TB for reminding me of thess quotations.)