Organisers of a lavish 83rd birthday party for Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe prepared on Friday to slaughter prize herds of cattle as shops ran short of basics such as cooking oil and bread.
Africa’s oldest-serving leader, who has been in power since independence from Britain 1980, turned 83 on Wednesday amid mounting pressure to step down over an economic meltdown that has condemned many to grinding poverty.
But that has not prevented his loyalists and members of his inner circle from heading to the central city of Gweru, 275km south-west of the capital, for a full-on feast at a birthday party on Saturday.
”Farmers have donated 38 cattle while others said they would bring processed beef,” Emmanuel Fundira, chairperson of the 21st February Movement fundraising committee, said.
”Our initial target was to raise Z$532-million (US$2,1-million) in cash and kind but so far we have received 38 cattle and well over Z$700-million in cash and kind.”
Various companies have chipped in with crates and tanks of beer, bottled water and tonnes of cornmeal for a party critics say is particularly ill-conceived this year with much of the population often forced to skip meals.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of economic recession characterised by inflation running at nearly 1 600%, chronic shortages of basic foodstuffs and fuel while the majority of the population is living below the poverty threshold.
Many families have struck ingredients such as milk and jam off their shopping lists while at least 80% of school and college leavers are without jobs, although governments insists the figure is lower.
As the economic woes mounted this week, shops in Harare and other major cities ran out of bread after bakers stopped production, citing escalating production costs and an unviable state-imposed selling price.
In Gweru, residents formed long queues in supermarkets to buy scarce bread while others went about their usual business, paying no attention to workmen mowing lawns along the streets and putting final touches to the birthday party venue, a football stadium in the heart of a township.
”We have too many things worrying us to care about the birthday,” said a receptionist at a local hotel, refusing to be named.
”I am not attending the birthday party and I am sure the majority of the people who will be there are Zanu-PF supporters from elsewhere, not necessarily Gweru residents.”
As Mugabe’s supporters feast in Gweru, in the second city of Bulawayo his biggest opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, prepared to hold a rally to resist the planned extension of Mugabe’s rule by another two years next year.
Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said police had sealed off the hall where Tsvangirai was to address residents late on Friday.
Mugabe has previously indicated he would step down at the end of his current term in 2008, but his ruling Zanu-PF party last December passed a resolution to extend his rule by another two years to have concurrent presidential and parliamentary polls.
The resolutions are still to be approved by the party’s central committee.
Police last Sunday used water cannons and tear gas to block a rally where Tsvangirai was to launch his campaign for the presidency and subsequently banned political rallies and processions saying they could degenerate to widespread rioting.
Chamisa described the bash as ”the height of insensitivity” and said his party would defy police attempts to block their rallies.
He said the money raised for Mugabe’s birthday party could be better used to buy water-treatment chemicals for local authorities battling to supply clean water to residents. Three cholera deaths were reported in Harare this week. — AFP
