Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe accompanied by wife Grace at his
inauguration ceremony in Harare on August 22, 2013. Mr Mugabe has
launched a nationwide 10-venue speaking tour aimed at drumming up
support ahead of elections next year. PHOTO | AFP
MARONDERA
Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe has launched a nationwide 10-venue speaking
tour aimed at drumming up support ahead of elections next year when he
plans to seek office again.
The
93-year-old leader, who appeared in better health than at some recent
public appearances, spoke for an hour and a half at a rally outside
Harare attended by several thousand ZANU-PF supporters.
The
ruling ZANU-PF party is widely seen as divided over Mugabe's successor,
while opposition parties are in talks to unite to try to oust him in
the election.
"We want our party to
remain united and not divided. If you are a real ZANU-PF member, be true
to your party," Mugabe said at the rally in Marondera.
He urged those seeking to succeed him to "be at peace".
"The time will come," he said. "It's certainly coming."
ZANU-PF
officials say Mugabe is focusing on youth issues at the series of
"interface rallies" in each of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces.
Mugabe
has slurred his words in interviews this year and struggled to walk in
public, but he stood up throughout his long speech on Friday.
He
wore a jacket in the party colours, and arrived at the open-air venue
standing on the back of a police truck and waving at cheering
supporters.
"President Robert Mugabe
is our sole candidate for 2018. We declare you our life president,"
Kelvin Mutsvairo, a provincial youth party leader, said in his speech.
A
banner at the rally called Mugabe "the father of youth empowerment" and
urged young people to register to vote in the elections.
Mugabe has ruled since independence in 1980, and ZANU-PF are often accused of election rigging and voter intimidation.
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