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Mugabe Hosts $250K Party in Starving Zimbabwe

Cholera, hyperinflation, land grabs... Let's dance!

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 28, 2009 1:50 PM CST

(Newser) – More than half of his country is starving, just 10% have jobs, and nearly 4,000 have died of cholera since August, but none of that has stopped Robert Mugabe from partying. Zimbabwe’s president spent $250,000 on his 85th birthday bash today, which included a 187-pound cake, the BBC reports. The celebration comes just days after Zimbabwe asked other African countries for $2 billion in aid.

One Mugabe critic called the party “obscene, and a sign of insensitive leadership.” Morgan Tsvangirai didn’t show up, despite earlier signaling he might. “People should not read this as a snub,” said a Mugabe spokesman. “He excused himself.” Mugabe took the occasion to say there’d be “no going back” on his move to seize farms from white farmers, despite a South African Development Community tribunal declaring it illegal.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, centre, prepares to release balloons into the air during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, centre, prepares to release balloons into the air during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, right, and his wife Grace are seen during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, right, and his wife Grace are seen during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
President Robert  Mugabe  prepares to relase balloons into the air  during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, about 120 kilometres west of Harare, Saturday, February, 28, 2009.
President Robert Mugabe prepares to relase balloons into the air during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, about 120 kilometres west of Harare, Saturday, February, 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe eats birthday cake during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe eats birthday cake during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Guest
Mar 3, 2009 2:03 AM CST
Yes, the Wall St. suits are ripping people off tremendously, but Mugabe is starving an entire nation and letting the population die of treatable/avoidable diseases. They're criminals all right but this guy is in a different league.
Guest
Mar 1, 2009 1:34 AM CST
You do realize you can turn off those in your account setings, right?
mak
Mar 1, 2009 12:51 AM CST
Be that as it may, I wouldn't be messing with karma when I was 85 years old. Tick tock, old man.

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