Zimbabwe’s Mugabe says he is people’s choice for 2018 election

President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace. REUTERS

Zimbabwe’s people and the ruling ZANU-PF party see no viable alternative candidate to President Robert Mugabe for general elections in 2018, state media quoted him as saying on Sunday.

“They want me to stand for elections, they want me to stand for elections everywhere in the party … The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am,” he said in comments to state media ahead of his 93rd birthday this coming week.

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“The people, you know, would want to judge everyone else on the basis of President Mugabe as the criteria,” Mugabe, who is Africa’s oldest leader, said.

Mugabe has been in power in the southern African country since 1980 and in December his party confirmed him as its candidate for the next presidential election expected in mid-2018, when he will be 94.

“Of course if I feel that I can’t do it any more, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now I think I can’t say so,” Mugabe said. Mugabe, known for his combative style, said he agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America for America” approach.

“When it comes to Donald Trump, on the one hand talking of American nationalism, well America for America, America for Americans – on that we agree. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans,” he said.

The state-run Sunday Mail newspaper, which published the comments, said he added Trump might review the sanctions imposed on Mugabe and members of his inner circle by Washington in 2003 over alleged rights violations. The sanctions were extended by the Obama administration.