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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Mugabe pledges not to step down | Mugabe pledges not to step down |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has repeated in an interview on state television to mark his birthday that he has no intention of stepping down. | |
| Mr Mugabe, who turns 83 on Wednesday, made a veiled criticism of his colleagues in the interview. | |
| Some in government have become involved in a fierce debate about when he will retire and who should replace him. | Some in government have become involved in a fierce debate about when he will retire and who should replace him. |
| Mr Mugabe, who retains an iron grip after nearly 27 years in power, said they were resorting to nonsense. | Mr Mugabe, who retains an iron grip after nearly 27 years in power, said they were resorting to nonsense. |
| Struggle for survival | Struggle for survival |
| In the rambling hour-long television interview, Mr Mugabe said there would come a day when he would go but at the moment there were no vacancies. | In the rambling hour-long television interview, Mr Mugabe said there would come a day when he would go but at the moment there were no vacancies. |
| People could talk about the process of succession, he said, but not with a view to pushing him out of office now. | People could talk about the process of succession, he said, but not with a view to pushing him out of office now. |
| And he had some sharp words for those who may be in the running to succeed him. | And he had some sharp words for those who may be in the running to succeed him. |
| President Mugabe said there were high-ranking, ambitious people who were looking at themselves. They were resorting to all kinds of nonsense, he said. | President Mugabe said there were high-ranking, ambitious people who were looking at themselves. They were resorting to all kinds of nonsense, he said. |
| Asked about Zimbabwe's deepening economic crisis, Mr Mugabe denied that the economy was sinking, though he admitted that there was a decline in the standard of living. | Asked about Zimbabwe's deepening economic crisis, Mr Mugabe denied that the economy was sinking, though he admitted that there was a decline in the standard of living. |
| Last week the annual rate of inflation shot up to nearly 1,600%. | Last week the annual rate of inflation shot up to nearly 1,600%. |
| His comments are unlikely to offer much comfort to ordinary people whose daily lives have become a struggle for survival. | His comments are unlikely to offer much comfort to ordinary people whose daily lives have become a struggle for survival. |