Mugabe celebrates birthday

President Mugabe is now 77

President Mugabe today celebrated his birthday with a big party at Victoria Falls.

Thousands of Zimbabwean supporters of the president attended a rally addressed by the president on the occasion of his 77th birthday which fell on Wednesday.

He has led the country for more than two decades and there is still a hardcore of supporters who adore Mr Mugabe, despite the tensions in Zimbabwe between the ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition MDC.

Economic difficulties

Mr Mugabe's presidency is also increasingly threatened by the state of the Zimbabwean economy - the country could be bankrupt in a matter of months.

Pro-Mugabe crowds last year

That's the verdict of analysts who say the crisis over land reform has sent the economy into terminal decline.

They estimate negative growth this year with agricultural production down, unemployment up and the mining sector struggling because of a desperate shortage of foreign currency.

But the cult of personality is still there - Mr Mugabe's supporters clap when he claps, cheer when he cheers, serenade him and provide a rousing welcome whenever he requires it.

He puts the people first and himself second

Mugabe supporter

His rhetoric speaks of the need to establish a more complete independence after the colonial past of Zimbabwe - and this rang true today with those celebrating his birthday.

Although opposition to Mugabe is growing as Zimbabweans get poorer, it seems that Mr Mugabe enjoys the trappings of power too much to relinquish them and that he will seek to extend his term as president when elections take place by April next year.