I want to live until I’m 100 says Mugabe as he refuses to name his successor

Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe says he wants to stay in power until he is 100. The autocratic ruler, who has been in charge of the southern African country for 36 years, says he has no intention of retiring. In a two-hour TV interview, he brushed aside questions over who will succeed him, saying he is still fit and does his daily exercises. "I am happy because I am about to reach the age I want. You know the age I want to reach - 100 years. So only eight years remain,“ he said.

Why successor? I am still there. Why do you want a successor? I did not say I was a candidate to retire

Robert Mugabe

Mr Mugabe, the world’s oldest ruler, celebrated his 92nd birthday last month. But the question of who will succeed him has yet to be settled with many fearing the country will descend into political anarchy if he dies with the issue unresolved. But Mr Mugabe insisted he was not behind his wife Grace’s quick rise within the ruling ZANU-PF, which has led to reports that she has plans to succeed her husband. "Others say the president wants to leave the throne for his wife. Where have you ever seen that, even in our own culture, where a wife inherits from her husband?” said the president.

In a democratic party, you don’t want leaders appointed that way to lead the party. They have to be appointed properly by the people, at a gathering of the people, at a congress.

Mr Mugabe

robert mugabe