Zimbabwe: Mugabe to Be Life President as Country Starves

Zimbabwe's ruling party congress this week may appoint Robert Mugabe, 82, president for life. If the proposal is raised, "as I am sure it will be, why not?" said Didymas Mutasa, national security minister and secretary for administration in the Zanu-PF Party. Zimbabwe has the world's highest rate of inflation (more than 1000 percent), the world's shortest life expectancy and the world's highest proportion of orphans (one-quarter of children). Between 1995 and 2003, more than 63 percent of rural residents and 53 percent of city dwellers could not afford basic food requirements, according to the social welfare ministry. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has threatened protests if antiretrovirals are not made more available; however, government critics risk being beaten or arrested.

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