Mad Dog Mugabe vows to destroy poll rival

Mugabe vows to destroy poll rival

February 28, 2005
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12392712%255E2703,00.html
MARONDERA, Zimbabwe: Long-serving Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has celebrated his 81st birthday vowing to crush the main opposition party in next month's elections and accusing British Prime Minister Tony Blair of seeking to recolonise the country.

Mr Mugabe said the opposition Movement for Democratic Change was a front for Mr Blair.
"Only 33 days are left for us to demonstrate that we are united," Mr Mugabe told about 30,000 people gathered in Marondera, 74km east of Harare, on Saturday.
"That vote should also kill once and for all the machinations of that man in Number 10 Downing Street who for some reason thinks he has the divine power to rule Zimbabwe and Britain."
Mr Mugabe said he would return to haunt his opponents if his ruling party lost the March 31 parliamentary elections, which the party has termed "the anti-Blair election".
Waving a miniature Zimbabwe flag at cheering supporters, Mr Mugabe said: "Mr Blair can never lower this flag again . . . never ever. On March 31 we must dig a grave not just six feet but 12 feet and bury Mr Blair and the Union Jack and write on top 'Here lies the latter-day British imperialist and the Union Jack, never again to arise'."
Zimbabwe's parliamentary election will be closely watched as a test of the country's adherence to the principles of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community on democratic elections.
Mr Mugabe's 81st birthday was last Monday but the celebrations were moved to Saturday to allow the participation of school children.
The reputation of Mr Mugabe - who has been at the helm of the southern African country for nearly a quarter of a century, since independence from Britain in 1980 - started fading in recent years after the country slid into economic decline as land reforms were jump-started with the violent occupation of white-owned farms.
He was re-elected in March 2002 in presidential polls that were disputed by the MDC as fraudulent and marked with violence.
Following the disputed polls the US and EU imposed travel bans on Mr Mugabe and members of his inner circle.
AFP