Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Birthday Bash - Time to Party or Retire?

Harare — When Pope Benedict XVl announced that old age was forcing him to resign at month's end, did he know how much excitement this would cause thousands of kilometres from the Vatican? Animated conversations in bars and office corridor whispers suggest that here in Zimbabwe even non-Catholics can't help but contrast the pontiff's voluntary retirement with their aging president's ambitions.

It's been 33 years since Robert Mugabe became his country's founding leader and, sure enough, he's gunning for a sixth term. Crisis-weary Zimbabweans feel their long-serving president should take a cue from the pope, who is in fact four years Mugabe's junior. But it's the politician's extravagant birthday bash early next month that has really drawn the ire of his people - most of whom still struggle to get a modest meal on the table.

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