Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe during a congress of his ruling ZANU(PF) party on Thursday became its sole presidential candidate in elections due next year, There was no vote or debate among the 10,000 delegates. The chairmen of each of the party's 10 provincial organizations read out reports in which they said he had been endorsed earlier at meetings in their respective provinces. Party national chairman John Nkomo then declared that Mugabe's candidacy had been "affirmed," and the congress adjourned for the day, leaving Friday, he second and last day, to deal with the state of the economy and plans to boost agricultural production. ZANU(PF) usually calls its congresses every five years, but this week's was held early, and with the sole purpose of rubber-stamping Mugabe's candidacy. It follows determined efforts by the 83-year-old dictator over the last year to block attempts by leaders of other factions in the party to challenge his 27-year supremacy in the government and the party, and extends his control for at least another five years. "No-one ever dares to challenge him," said a ruling party official who asked not to be named. "It would be suicide." Analysts say Thursday's affair squashes widespread hopes that he would retire next year, as he had indicated he would five years ago when he last won controversial presidential elections. In recent months, his top aides have been demanding that he be appointed an official "president for life." "He is already de facto a life president," said one ruling party official who asked not to be named. Presidential, parliamentary and local government elections are due to be held in March, but there are accusations from human rights organizations and opposition groups that already voter registration and constituency delimitation have been heavily manipulated to favour ZANU(PF). All three national elections since 2000 have been condemned by international and some southern African observers as the result of violent intimidation and rigging. Mugabe has been in power continuously since independence in 1980, but in the last nine years his rule has produced a galloping economic crisis with world record inflation at a reported 15,000 per cent, the world's fastest shrinking GDP in a country not at war - 40 per cent in the last six years - the lowest adult life expectancy at 36 years and the fastest devaluing currency, from 1 US dollar to 2,800 Zimbabwe dollars at the beginning of the year to 1 US - 4.5 million Zimbabwe dollars now. Earlier, in a rambling two-hour speech in an indoor sports stadium in Harare, he declared that "there is democracy in the country. We have never rigged an election, never, ever." He made no mention of the critical shortage of goods in the country's shops, the unavailability of cash in banks, constant water and electricity cut-offs, shortages of fuel, soaring prices, the dysfunctional transport system, rivers of sewerage in the streets of townships and looming famine in rural areas. "We would want to ensure that our people have a good Christmas, and all of us must work towards having an enjoyable Christmas," he said. "I am 75 kilograms but I am carrying the weight of 14 million people. Every one of them matters to me."
