Hero-worshipping at Mugabe's bash

President Robert Mugabe yesterday basked in reverence as his wife, Grace, heaped praises on the nonagenarian while he was feted with giant cakes at a colourful feast to mark his 93rd birthday.

Mugabe - who was born on February 21, 1924 - was showered with praises not only by his wife, but by everyone who could get to the microphone in a fawning contest at his birthday gala, which was held at Matobo training centre.

The annual jamboree was delayed for a few hours as the ground was muddy and graders had to be brought in to fill it up with sands.

Zanu-PF supporters had to either wear gumboots or walk barefooted just to get close to the man they revere as a hero.

Showing their might, Zanu-PF forced the Rhodes Preparatory School (Reps) to change its name to Matopos Jnr School as the ruling party sought to obliterate a historical relic that was deemed too colonial.

Ironically, the birthday bash was held just a few kilometres from mass graves of Gukurahundi victims and not far from the graves of Cecil Rhodes and King Mzilikazi.

Describing her husband as "amazing", Grace said Mugabe - accused by some of gross human rights abuses and single-handedly tendering the country's economy to the dogs on a silver platter - is "a rare gift from God".

"Fellow comrades attaining the age of 93 years in good health is truly a milestone achievement in one's lifetime, a feat many of us cannot accomplish, which can only be regarded as a special gift from God," Grace said.

While Mugabe has been able to live to the ripe age of 93, most Zimbabweans are dying much younger as they fail to access basic medical care due to the collapse of the health sector under Zanu-PF's rule.

Data from the United Nations shows that the average Zimbabwean male only lives to 34 while women have a life expectancy of 37 years.

Surrounded by poverty in the marginalised Matabeleland South province, the fete's irony was lost on Zanu-PF bigwigs as they wined and dined close to graves of victims of the infamous Gukurahundi massacres and villagers staring hunger in the face after floods destroyed most of their crop.

"The president is a moving encyclopaedia, a very knowledgeable person who is widely read…he is very amazing at the manner in which he grasps issues, be they political, social, economic or cultural.

"The bottom line is that . . . Mugabe is a very intelligent person, who has a very sharp memory, which like wine gets better with age, again a rare gift from God," Grace said.

Her lavish praises on Mugabe came just a week after the nonagenarian also went into overdrive as he extolled his wife describing her as "fireworks".

During his birthday interview, Mugabe described Grace as a strong character and seasoned politician, following her Buhera rally where she declared Zimbabweans can vote for Mugabe's corpse.

Despite the country's economic and social problems, Mugabe's birthday celebration is now an annual event that gobbles millions and often disrupts school activities.

The Zanu-PF youth wing, which organised yesterday's birthday party is presently hankering for the 21st of February to be declared a national holiday.

"The personality being celebrated today carries a plethora of qualities appreciated by many to me and the family, he is a loving husband, an exemplary father, to the nation he is an iconic leader, a revolutionary par excellence, a statesman and above all a liberator.

"Suffice to say, he is everything virtuous to the downtrodden people of this world," she said, adding the 93-year-old was God's answer to Zimbabwe's problems.

Even though millions of Zimbabweans are living in the Diaspora, as they seek economic refugee, Grace said Mugabe has managed to keep the people of Zimbabwe together, leading to Western countries imposing sanctions against the country.