Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, who is known to be Africa’s oldest leader, has dispelled rumours his wife will automatically inherit the role of president, warning to feuding members of his ZANU-PF party that he is still in charge after 36 years in power.
The 92 year old made his stance known in a two-hour interview with state broadcaster ZBC TV late on Thursday. He said:
“Why successor? I am still there. Why do you want a successor? I did not say I was a candidate to retire. Leaders were elected not appointed,” he said.
“In a democratic party, you don’t want leaders appointed that way to lead the party. They have to be appointed properly by the people, at a gathering of the people, at a congress.”Others say the president wants to leave the throne for his wife. Where have you ever seen that, even in our own culture, where a wife inherits from her husband?”
