Robert Mugabe speech to the nation of Zimbabwe, 4 March 1980

Hi All

found this little 8-sided, A5-sized  pamphlet of Robert Mugabe’s first speech to the nation of Zimbabwe in a second-hand shop somewhere in Cape Town, I think in Kalk Bay, some time ago. It’s printed on very poor-quality paper, and seems to have been destined for circulation in the USA (see inside front page). The speech was given before he was sworn in as Prime Minister, and before the formal Independence of Zimbabwe. It seems to be his first formal speech to the nation as a whole, give that it’s published as ‘For the record No.1’.

I thought I’d put it up here for interest’s sake, seeing as the Old Man is still there almost 30 years on. It’s quite remarkable to see how some of his views have changed in that time (!)

Here is the cover:

and the inside front cover:

the first page of the speech itself:

the second page of the speech:

and the third, and final, page of the speech:

The remaining three pages in the pamphlet were blank.

I know this is not the sort of stuff that usually appears on this blog, but I thought it worth putting up here.

Cheers

Adam

Note, 28 Sep 2009: I’ve just discovered this copy of this speech on the Web Archive — it seems to have been deleted from the Zimbabwean government’s website, possibly because it so obviously contradicts Mugabe’s current views and actions.