Mugabe denounces Britain in post-poll speech

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe bitterly attacked former colonial ruler Britain today in his first major speech since disputed elections, saying London was paying the population to turn against him.

Mugabe told 15 000 cheering supporters in a speech to mark Independence Day: "Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country." In a stream of insults against Britain, Mugabe added: "Today they are like thieves fronting their lackeys among us, which they give money to confuse our people."

Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, is under heavy international criticism for the delay in releasing results from a March 29 presidential election, which the opposition says was won by its leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

But Mugabe was characteristically defiant in his speech, repeating a familiar line that London and not the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were the real enemy.

"Today they have perfected their tactics to a more subtle form by using money literally to buy some people to turn against their government. We are being bought like livestock," Mugabe said.

Mugabe supporters gather at a stadium
He said the government had intervened to stop independence war veterans from taking up arms against white farmers who were trying to reoccupy land which he has confiscated. "Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. Never shall we retreat," said Mugabe, speaking mostly in the local Shona language.

The former guerrilla commander received a rousing welcome from his supporters at Gwanzura stadium in Highfield, a restive opposition stronghold on the edge of the capital Harare. Many people wore T-shirts decorated with Mugabe's portrait.

Mugabe's loyal police and military paraded in the stadium before his speech and large posters denounced the opposition and Britain.

The carnival atmosphere in the stadium contrasted with the poverty outside where the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy has forced residents to contend with shortages of water, food and electricity as well as piles of uncollected garbage. - Reuters