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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mugabe party backs election bid | Mugabe party backs election bid |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has endorsed President Robert Mugabe as its candidate for the 2008 election. | |
| Mr Mugabe, 83, has been in power since independence in 1980. | |
| There had been reports that one faction in the party had wanted Mr Mugabe to stand down to end a political and economic crisis. | |
| But Zanu-PF's central committee backed his decision to run for a fresh term in office, a party spokesman said at the meeting in Harare. | |
| "The candidate for the party in 2008 will be the president himself. He was endorsed by the central committee," Nathan Shamuyarira told reporters. | "The candidate for the party in 2008 will be the president himself. He was endorsed by the central committee," Nathan Shamuyarira told reporters. |
| Parliamentary and presidential elections will be held in 2008, he added. | Parliamentary and presidential elections will be held in 2008, he added. |
| Leaders' support | |
| Earlier, Mr Mugabe urged Zanu-PF members to stay united in the face of international and domestic opposition to his rule. | Earlier, Mr Mugabe urged Zanu-PF members to stay united in the face of international and domestic opposition to his rule. |
| He branded the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as "violent", and said: "We can never entertain... a party that is walking the road of terrorism. We will not allow that in Zimbabwe." | He branded the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as "violent", and said: "We can never entertain... a party that is walking the road of terrorism. We will not allow that in Zimbabwe." |
| Mr Mugabe attended the Zanu-PF meeting one day after meeting fellow southern African leaders to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe at a summit in Tanzania. | |
| Zimbabwe's economy is in meltdown, with inflation of 1,700% and widespread poverty and unemployment. | Zimbabwe's economy is in meltdown, with inflation of 1,700% and widespread poverty and unemployment. |
| The leaders agreed that South African President Thabo Mbeki should try to promote political dialogue inside Zimbabwe. | |
| And they expressed solidarity with Mr Mugabe, urging Western countries to lift sanctions. | |
| They also called on the UK, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe, to pay for land reform. |