Mugabe turns 93 today, birthday party is expected to cost more than $2 million

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe turns 93 Tuesday and on Saturday a lavish party to celebrate his birthday is expected to cost more than $2 million (1.88 million euros). 

This year's celebration of President Robert Mugabe's 93rd birthday takes place in Matobos southwest of Harare on Saturday. Some Zimbabweans are calling Mugabe to use the money to address a myriad of problems besetting the country while others are planning to celebrate their leader's birthday.

"We regard President Mugabe's birth so highly that we take him as second only to Jesus Christ. So his birthday is something we cannot miss as Zimbabweans. We are advocating for that day to be a national holiday," said one supporter in Harare.

Mugabe has been ruling Zimbabwe since 1980 when the country got its independence from Great Britain. Since then, Zimbabwe has religiously celebrated his birthday.

This year, a coalition of civic organizations called "21 Days of Activism Zimbabwe" told DW that Mugabe should not celebrate his birthday this year.

"We are highlighting key issues that need to be prioritized by government instead of spending millions of dollars on birthday celebrations when currently we have a massive cash crisis that needs to be dealt with," said Sam Farai Munro, one of the activists in the anti-birthday movement.

"So if the government can fundraise millions, then those millions should be dedicated to fixing up hospitals, or providing books in schools or paying teacher bonuses from last year," he added.

Trump supporter?

In an interview that is to be run on the state-run TV channel on the eve of his birthday, President Mugabe expressed respect for US President Donald Trump.

"When it comes to Donald Trump, on the one hand talking of American nationalism. Well America for America, America for Americans, on that we agree. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans," said Mugabe in excerpts carried by the state-run Herald newspaper.

Mugabe has consistently opposed Western intervention in Zimbabwe and his country has recently been criticized by western governments for prosecuting Evan Mawarire and Phillip Patrick Mugadza, two pastors who have been vocal critics of his rule. Mugabe hopes that Trump will be different.

"We are just now under sanctions imposed not by Donald Trump but by Obama. What arrogance is that?" asked Mugabe.

Priorities versus parties

Zimbabwe's government is broke. Since last year, it has been failing to pay its workers salaries on time. It has not indicated when it will pay its workers their bonuses which were due in November last year. Add to that about the fact that five million Zimbabweans depend on Western food aid to following the ongoing El Nino-induced drought.