Robert Mugabe denounces Britain and opposition
{{date|April 18, 2008}}
{{Zimbabwe}}[[Image:Mugabecloseup2008.jpg|thumb|left|A photograph of Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. {{image credit|Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Lock}}]]

[[Robert Mugabe]], president of the [[Zimbabwe|Republic of Zimbabwe]] bitterly slated opposition and the [[United Kingdom]], Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler, in a speech he made earlier today. This is his first speech after the recent disputed elections in which [[w:en:Morgan Tsvangirai|Morgan Tsvangirai's]] [[w:en:Movement for Democratic Change|Movement for Democratic Change]] (MDC) won the parliamentary voting. However announcement of an overall victory for the MDC has come to a standstill as results from 23 out of the 210 constituencies are still [[Mugabe's party calls for recount of Zimbabwe presidential votes|being recounted]].

Mr. Mugabe asked his 15,000 strong audience to "maintain utmost vigilance in the face of vicious British machinations and the machinations of our other detractors, who are allies of Britain" while speaking at the Gwanzura Stadium in Zimbabwe's capital city of Harare.

The audience wore shirts adorned with Mugabe portraits and waved banners reading "Defending our land from imperialists" and "Zimbabwe has no place for sell-outs" in support of [[w:en:Zanu-PF|Zanu-PF]] policies. "Down with the British" was chanted, Mr. Mugabe saying the British are "like thieves fronting their lackeys among us, which they pay to confuse our people".

"We, not the British, established democracy based on one person, one vote - democracy which rejected racial or gender discrimination and upheld human rights and religious freedom," he said in response to the international criticism he has lately received, especially from [[w:en:Gordon Brown|Gordon Brown]].

The speech was made in a celebration of 28 years since the day of Zimbabwean independence, which Mr. Mugabe called the day on which his nation "finally shook off the chains of British racist settler colonialism".

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7353929.stm
|title=Mugabe attacks opposition and UK
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=April 18, 2008}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/04/18/mugabe-brits.html
|title=Mugabe accuses Britain of paying off opposition 'lackeys'
|pub=CBC News
|date=April 18, 2008}}

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[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Robert Mugabe]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Movement for Democratic Change]]
[[Category:Harare]]
A photograph of Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

Robert Mugabe, president of the Republic of Zimbabwe bitterly slated opposition and the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler, in a speech he made earlier today. This is his first speech after the recent disputed elections in which Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won the parliamentary voting. However announcement of an overall victory for the MDC has come to a standstill as results from 23 out of the 210 constituencies are still being recounted.

Mr. Mugabe asked his 15,000 strong audience to "maintain utmost vigilance in the face of vicious British machinations and the machinations of our other detractors, who are allies of Britain" while speaking at the Gwanzura Stadium in Zimbabwe's capital city of Harare.

The audience wore shirts adorned with Mugabe portraits and waved banners reading "Defending our land from imperialists" and "Zimbabwe has no place for sell-outs" in support of Zanu-PF policies. "Down with the British" was chanted, Mr. Mugabe saying the British are "like thieves fronting their lackeys among us, which they pay to confuse our people".

"We, not the British, established democracy based on one person, one vote - democracy which rejected racial or gender discrimination and upheld human rights and religious freedom," he said in response to the international criticism he has lately received, especially from Gordon Brown.

The speech was made in a celebration of 28 years since the day of Zimbabwean independence, which Mr. Mugabe called the day on which his nation "finally shook off the chains of British racist settler colonialism".
Africa Politics and conflicts Robert Mugabe United Kingdom Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change Harare