Zimbabwe crisis provokes national press

Mr Mugabe was given the backing of southern African leaders

Papers on either side of the political divide in Zimbabwe take a very different view of the latest developments: the announcement by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party that he will be their candidate in next year's elections and a regional summit in Tanzania last Thursday.

One internet paper rages against Mr Mugabe's "incoherent ramblings" in a speech to his supporters.

But pro-government dailies tell the West to "go to hell" and see the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) resolution as a warning to "lap-dog politicians" who oppose Mr Mugabe.

JONATHAN MOYO IN INDEPENDENT NEWZIMBABWE.COM

Anyone who listened to Mugabe's addresses... would have noticed how Mugabe came across as an incoherent, disoriented, rambling and tired old man who wants to remain president for life.

VINCENT KAHIYA IN OPPOSITION INDEPENDENT

The level of political intolerance is being extended... Everyone must love Zanu-PF's obtuse policies, its dictatorship as well as its ruthlessness.

EDITORIAL IN OPPOSITION FINANCIAL GAZETTE

It is quite refreshing... that African statesmen whose deafening silence on the Zimbabwean crisis had been taken to mean tacit endorsement of Harare's actions, are slowly coming out of their shells to speak out on the economic and political mayhem that is threatening to drag down the whole region.

PATHISA NYATHI IN INDEPENDENT DAILY MIRROR

The International Monetary Fund and related institutions can go to hell. Sanctions will never work against us... We will defend our hard-won independence to the last millilitre of our precious blood.

EDITORIAL IN GOVERNMENT HERALD

I welcome SADC's support for the government and people of this great nation at a time Westerners thought the region would rally behind their nefarious designs against the government.

REASON WAFAWAROVA IN GOVERNMENT HERALD

The resolutions on Zimbabwe at the just-ended extraordinary summit of SADC heads of state and government did not only expose Western propaganda, but also sent a clear message to [the opposition] MDC and any would-be lapdog politicians that it's either the African way or the highway to foreign-backed oblivion.

EDITORIAL IN GOVERNMENT SUNDAY NEWS

[The West's] sanctions are beginning to backfire in a spectacular manner... next year's general election will essentially be a national referendum whose central question can be put this way: "Do you support those who have brought sanctions and suffering upon the people of Zimbabwe?"

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.