Mugabe launches 90 birthday balloons

AFP/HarareFresh off the plane from Singapore, where he had travelled for eye surgery last week, Mugabe was in typically defiant mood as he launched his birthday celebrations at Marondera stadium, east of the capital Harare. “I feel as youthful and energetic as a boy of nine,” Mugabe said before cutting his cake. Dressed in a black suit, red tie and white shirt, he moved around the venue on the back of a truck waving his fist to a crowd made up largely of school children bussed in for the occasion. In a speech that lasted over an hour, Mugabe told the crowd that his ZANU-PF party’s election win last year had confounded his critics in the West. “Those opponents of ours who had imposed sanctions on us were baffled,” he said. “The truth is ZANU-PF won, ZANU-PF had the support. ZANU-PF had the message, had the history, ZANU-PF has the people.” Mugabe, who turned 90 on Friday while he was still in Singapore, has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist ever since the former rebel led the country to independence from Britain in 1980. His party won another resounding victory in August elections—taking two-thirds of the vote—although critics say he used state power to intimidate voters and opponents. “At times I think of how I have survived over the years, escaping death, many of my friends and relatives have died. It saddens me at times, but at the same time you are happy that you have turned 90.” Huge cakes were on display in the centre of the stadium, while the crowd wore red scarves, as is traditional on the president’s birthday, and waved national flags. A series of speakers led the crowd in chanting ZANU-PF slogans, and denouncing the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which has spent years unsuccessfully trying to overturn Mugabe’s rule in the face of catastrophic economic decline. Mugabe returned to familiar anti-colonial themes in his speech, saying: “The British—we don’t hate you, we only love our country. We love our freedom.” Senior government officials, security chiefs and Mugabe’s children were also among the well-wishers. Ambassadors from China and Russia also presented Mugabe with special messages of congratulation from their presidents. A ZANU-PF youth leader heaped praise on Mugabe, saying he defeated the British during the war and after independence. “In my view today we celebrate the birthday of a genuine conqueror of the British empire,” Absolom Sikhosana said. Mugabe was presented with 90 sheep, while several cattle were also among his many birthday presents and 90 cattle were slaughtered for the feast. Mugabe has spent more than a third of his life as leader of Zimbabwe, lauded as a liberation hero by some and condemned as a human rights abuser by others.Zimbabwe’s sole ruler since the former Rhodesia gained independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe is under Western sanctions. He denies human rights abuses and election fraud and blames former colonial power Britain for smearing his name. Mugabe’s age and concerns about his health have fuelled a succession battle inside his ZANU-PF party. Vice-president Joice Mujuru leads the field but faces a challenge from justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, a powerful former defence and security minister known as “the Crocodile”.Mugabe said his abstinence from alcohol and tobacco kept him fit, but he gave no indication of when he planned to retire. His aides have denied speculation he has been treated for prostate cancer.“God, I can’t thank you enough for that gift of life,” Mugabe said during the event where he spoke for over an hour and walked around the stadium in the small farming town of Marondera, 100km east of Harare.He told the crowd he intended to crack down on officials, including cabinet ministers, implicated in corruption and fraud in state companies.