Mugabe marks 21 years of independence

In an address to mark twenty-one years of independence in Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has renewed attacks on the opposition and the former colonial power, Britain.

Speaking to a crowd of several thousand at the national sports stadium in Harare, Mr Mugabe accused the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change of becoming a puppet of whites who'd been defeated in the independence war.

He said it was futile for the opposition or Britain to oppose his programme of seizing white-owned farms, saying it was going ahead.

Mr Mugabe made no mention of his announcement last night that he would be running again for President next year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service