Zimbabwe

Mugabe accuses Britain of bribing voters - South Africa stops arms shipment

Article published on the 2008-04-18 Latest update 2008-04-21 09:17 TU

Robert Mugabe gives first speech after elections
(Reuters)

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe made his first major post-election speech in which he sharply criticised Britain and defended his country's record as a democracy. Speaking outside Harare, he did not address the contested results of the 29 March poll or a possible second round run-off.

Mugabe criticised Britain and alleged that it had paid voters to support the opposition MDC, Movement for Democratic Change. He also defended his record on human rights, saying that it was Zimbabweans that brought democracy to Zimbabwe and not Britain.

He congratulated Zimbabweans on the recent peaceful elections and said that Britain had been behind post-election violence. MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa, speaking to RFI, responded to Mugabe's speech and pointed out that Mugabe had still not supplied election results. He described the incumbent president as "a politician to whom we have always looked as a father" but "who had no mandate".

In related news, a court in the South African town of Durban on Friday stopped the shipment of Chinese weapons through the country. The arms were bound for Zimbabwe.

The ruling allowed for the unloading for the ship, the An Yue Jiang, but said the cargo of weapons could not be brought across South Africa's territory.

The ruling was in response to a case brought by the human rights group, the South African Litigation Centre. The judgement is temporary while further details can be brought before the judge. The ship was carrying a cargo of three million AK-47 clips and 3,000 mortars.