By Our Online Team

20^th Feb 2012:

Ailing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will this week celebrate his 88^th birthday with lavish celebrations expected to cost up to $1million.  The Zimbabwean president will be joined by hundreds of guests from his ruling Zanu-PF at the extravaganza in the eastern city of Mutare.

According to the South African newspaper the Mail & Guardian, the event will feature a giant birthday cake, multi-course meals, a music gala featuring top Zimbabwean artists, a beauty pageant and a soccer tournament dubbed the ‘Bob 88 Super Cup’.

Mugabe’s birthday plans have been dubbed the ‘21st February Movement’ by his supporters to mark the date in 1924 on when the president was born.  Several Provinces around the country have been forced to dip into their coffers to help fund the bash.  “…Over the past two months the provinces have been chipping in with “donations” to make the big day a memorable one for Mugabe.” the Mail & Guardian said.

Zimbabwe is however a country where thousands of families have to scavenge for food and millions are out of work following years of economic and political strife.  Hundreds of thousands of desperate Zimbabweans have, as a result, fled the country, with the majority heading to neighbouring South Africa.

Mugabe has held power for three decades since Zimbabwe gained its independence from Britain in 1980.  His actions have however turned him into an international pariah to some in the West.  Zimbabwe was thus kicked out of the Commonwealth, an organisation he has disparagingly referred to as “a neo-colonial talking shop”.

Despite his tarnished image, Mugabe has traditionally celebrated his birthday with a party and rally for Zanu-PF members.  But this year the anniversary will also be marked by a string of demonstrations around the world against his rule.

Campaigners plan to hold protests tomorrow outside Zimbabwean embassies in Britain, America, South Africa and several European capitals. They have been organised by campaigners on behalf of the five million Zimbabweans now living overseas.

In recent months, Mugabe has repeatedly signalled his intention to call fresh elections in the belief he can secure a new mandate to rule alone without the opposition MDC party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangiri which joined Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party to form a coalition government of national unity after Zimbabwe’s last disputed election.

Reports indicate that Mugabe, who is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer, wants to shore up his party’s control before handing over to a chosen successor.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.