Zimbabwe's Mugabe calls rival Makoni a "prostitute"
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe onThursday derided a former ally now challenging him in generalelections as a prostitute, and said he would win next month'spolls by a landslide and humble the opposition.
Former Finance Minister Simba Makoni was expelled fromMugabe's ruling ZANU-PF last week after registering to run asan independent in March 29 presidential, parliamentary andcouncil elections.
"What has happened now is absolutely disgraceful. I didn'tthink that Makoni, after all this experience, would behave likethis," Mugabe said in an interview broadcast on statetelevision late on Thursday to mark his 84th birthday.
"I compared him to a prostitute. A prostitute could havedone better than Makoni, because she has clients. Don't youthink so?" said Mugabe.
In his hour-long interview, a relaxed-looking Mugabe alsosuggested some party officials had lacked the courage to openlyexpress their views within the party.
The remarks were the veteran leader's first public commenton the break with Makoni, a reform-minded technocrat who haslong been touted as a possible successor to Mugabe.
Makoni says he is backed by top officials in the rulingparty and analysts say he could pose a strong challenge toMugabe.
On becoming finance minister in 2000, Makoni pledgedtighter fiscal discipline to restore relations with donors andhe has suggested engaging with Western powers to easeZimbabwe's economic hardship.
Mugabe has ruled the southern African country sinceindependence from Britain in 1980 but critics say his economicmismanagement, and contested policies such as seizures ofwhite-owned farms, have ruined the economy.
Annual inflation has surged to over 100,000 percent, theofficial statistics office said on Wednesday, but Mugabe saysthe economy has been sabotaged by Western sanctions imposed topunish his land reforms.
The president, who denies opposition charges of riggingpast elections, also said he would continue with hisanti-British message during the election campaign until Londonended what he said were plots for regime change in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe accused the West of funding the main oppositionMovement for Democratic Change (MDC) in an effort to topple himand predicted a resounding defeat of the MDC.
He said there would be none of the post-election violencewitnessed in Kenya after disputed December general electionsthere, because there were no ethnic tensions in Zimbabwe.
The government would continue to pursue its programme totransfer majority ownership in mines to locals and focus onfull economic recovery after the polls, Mugabe added.
(Editing by Jon Boyle)