Mugabe hits out at 'mad westerners'

Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe has said that "mad people in the West" are campaigning for regime change, pointing to the ongoing civil war in Libya.

Mr Mugabe also described some of his political opponents as "demon-possessed sellouts" who turn to the West for help.

"Today is the day to cast out those demons," Mugabe said yesterday, in a speech during celebrations honouring the guerrilla war that swept him to power at independence in 1980.

He urged Zimbabweans to be vigilant against those campaigning for regime change in the country and called Nato "a terrorist organisation" no different from the Taleban and al-Qaeda.

"Look what they are doing in Libya," he said. "The brazen way they seek to kill Gaddafi … they are deliberately throwing bombs at his family residences. Beware, this they can do in any other African country."

The president vowed to retaliate against Western countries that imposed sanctions targeting himself and his supporters over alleged human rights abuses in the southern African nation.

Referring to the fact about 400 British firms still operate in Zimbabwe, he added: "Why should a company that belongs to Britain continue to mine gold here? If they want to continue to mine here, sanctions must go."

He said he welcomed investment from countries that have stood by Zimbabwe, including China, Russia, India and Cuba.