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Mugabe's party to extend his rule Move to extend Mugabe rule backed
(1 day later)
Zimbabwe's ruling party are expected to endorse a plan to extend Robert Mugabe's presidency until 2010 as they meet at their annual conference. Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has backed a move to extend the mandate of President Robert Mugabe by two years.
A Zanu-PF spokesman said postponing presidential elections until they could be held at the same time as parliamentary polls would save money. The annual party conference approved a plan to postpone the next presidential election - when Mr Mugabe has said he will retire - from 2008 to 2010.
The president had said he would retire in 2008 after 28 years in office. Delegates said there should be no debate on succeeding the president, because there were no vacancies.
Zimbabwe has the world's lowest life expectancy, highest inflation rate and chronic unemployment.Zimbabwe has the world's lowest life expectancy, highest inflation rate and chronic unemployment.
Mugabe himself has decided to come clean about his succession. He basically has decided to succeed himself Jonathan MoyoIndependent MP Zimbabwe police brutality 'rises'
Mr Mugabe's critics say he has ruined what was one of Africa's most developed economies.Mr Mugabe's critics say he has ruined what was one of Africa's most developed economies.
Opposition figures in Zimbabwe say the 82-year-old leader is fearful of leaving office because he could face possible prosecution for human rights abuses. The president says he is the victim of a Western plot to bring him down because of opposition to his seizure of white-owned land.
He says he is the victim of a western plot to bring him down because of opposition to his seizure of white-owned land. [Mr Mugabe] basically has decided to succeed himself Jonathan MoyoIndependent MP href="/1/hi/world/africa/6180351.stm" class="">Zimbabwe police abuse 'rises'
'Too long'
Following last year's parliamentary elections, Zanu-PF has a two-thirds majority, enabling it to change the constitution.Following last year's parliamentary elections, Zanu-PF has a two-thirds majority, enabling it to change the constitution.
AFRICA HAVE YOUR SAY The biggest problem with Zimbabwe is that a lot of people the world over, think they know what's best for Zimbabwe Vincent, Harare href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4983&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments Mr Mugabe has been president since Zimbabwe became independent in 1980.
Synchronising presidential and parliamentary elections would also mean reducing the length of the presidential term from six years to five - the length of a Zimbabwean parliament. BBC Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says that behind the scenes there is serious in-fighting within Zanu-PF, and no clear decision about who should succeed Mr Mugabe.
The Herald newspaper quotes President Mugabe as saying that shortening the length of the presidency was his idea: That is partly why the issue has been shelved until 2010, our correspondent adds.
"I said the six-year term for the president was far too long, and then, of course, it produced the disparity and imbalance, and the discord between the parliamentary and presidential elections."
Eight out of Zanu-PF's 10 provincial branches have already reportedly backed the planned changes, meaning they are likely to be passed at the conference.
The party is riven by in-fighting and no obvious successor has emerged.
'Democrat''Democrat'
Although Zanu-PF describes the constitutional changes as cost-cutting measures and a bid to achieve "harmony" in the election process, critics say the move is really about holding on to power. Thousands of delegates cheered as a party official read the resolution on the controversial issue, which said:
"Mugabe himself has decided to come clean about his succession. He basically has decided to succeed himself," former Minister of Information and now independent MP Jonathan Moyo told the BBC's World Today programme. "We want to reaffirm the leadership of President RG Mugabe [...] and thus resolved that there should be no debate on succession because there are no vacancies."
AFRICA HAVE YOUR SAY The biggest problem with Zimbabwe is that a lot of people the world over, think they know what's best for Zimbabwe Vincent, Harare Send us your comments
The proposal still has to go to the party's central committee and to parliament, but that is expected to be a formality.
Although Zanu-PF describes the constitutional changes as an effort to achieve "harmony" in the election process, critics say the move is really about Mr Mugabe holding on to power.
"He basically has decided to succeed himself," independent MP Jonathan Moyo told the BBC.
But Information Minister Paul Mangwana said Mr Mugabe was a "democrat".But Information Minister Paul Mangwana said Mr Mugabe was a "democrat".
"If the people want him, let him remain in power," he said."If the people want him, let him remain in power," he said.
Mr Mangwana also denied that Mr Mugabe was too old to continue to run Zimbabwe. Mr Mangwana also denied that Mr Mugabe was too old to continue to run Zimbabwe: "He's agile, he's lucid, he has a clean bill of health."
"He's agile, he's lucid, he has a clean bill of health." But the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube - one of President Mugabe's strongest critics - says he is obsessed with clinging on to power.
But the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, is one of President Mugabe's strongest critics and says he is obsessed with clinging on to power.
"On the one side, you remember he was saying he would retire at 78. Now he's approaching 83. He keeps changing his goalposts. 'this is my last time, this is my last time'."On the one side, you remember he was saying he would retire at 78. Now he's approaching 83. He keeps changing his goalposts. 'this is my last time, this is my last time'.
"It's typical of him, and since he's so untruthful, it's very likely that he's going to extend his term of office.