Johannesburg/Harare(dpa) - The practice of limiting presidents to a
couple of terms in office is 'a luxury' and President Robert Mugabe
should continue to rule until he dies, according to Zimbabwe's vice-
president.
Joseph Msika, 84, one of two vice-presidents of both the ruling
party and the government, was quoted in the state-controlled Sunday
Mail as he backed the 83-year-old leader as the party's sole
candidate for presidential elections expected in March 2008.
The ruling party is due to hold an extraordinary congress in
December at which the only topic of significance is the ratification
of Mugabe's candidature and prevent any others from standing. The
national constitution has not limited periods in office since an
executive presidency was passed in 1987.
Mugabe has been in power continuously for 27 years, since
independence from British colonial rule in 1980.
'We do not change leaders as fast we change our shirts,' Msika
said. 'In Zimbabwe we do not accept that. So the issue of changing a
leader after a specified period is out of the question. It is a
luxury we cannot afford. If they are still serving the people, then
they should stay on or even die there.'
Zimbabwe is in the throes of dramatic economic decline, with gdp
having shrunk 40 per cent in the last seven years, inflation at
15,000 per cent and the currency, which was at parity with British
Sterling at independence, now worth 0000003 Pounds Sterling.
Famine has set in for the fifth consecutive year in the west of
the country, the supply of goods to shops and supermarkets has almost
totally dried up, fuel is critically scarce and businesses, farmers
and private homes suffer from continual power and water cuts as
infrastructure in what was Africa's second most highly developed
country, crumbles.
The collapse is blamed on continuous misrule and reckless economic
decisions, from the lawless seizure of productive white-owned
farmland from 2000, to price controls decreed in June that forced
retailers to sell their goods at prices far lower than the wholesale
prices.
Mugabe blames the situation on an alleged plot by Western
governments to overthrow him.
Msika said Zimbabwe had 'continued to excel under Comrade Mugabe's
leadership.' Last week Mugabe declared that the country 'will not
collapse, now or in future.'
Msika's remarks are expected to raise eyebrows amongst regional
Southern African leaders who are shepherding talks between Mugabe's
ruling ZANU(PF) party and the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change, with major democratic reforms on the agenda, including the
limiting of presidential terms of office.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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