Baku-APA. Zimbabwe's veteran president Robert Mugabe on Monday took a swipe at Britain in front of thousands of his supporters as the country is to hold crucial elections in about two weeks' time, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980, accused the British of trying to push for a "transition" of government in the upcoming elections in which he will fight for another five-year term against his long-time rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader, is considered by Mugabe's party as a proxy for Western interests.
"There will never be that British transition, keep it to yourselves filthy aggressors, leave us alone," the outspoken 89- year-old president said, raising his signature gripped fist in the air to the cheers of thousands of supporters gathering in Marondera.
Marondera, a rural town 70 km east of Harare, is the site Tsvangirai chose to unveil his campaign manifesto a week ago.
"In Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwean is the ruler. You are the ruler just as in Britain the British is the ruler," Mugabe added.
Mugabe was considered by the West as a good example of African leader in the first decade of his rule. But relations with Britain turned sour under Tony Blair's reign over a range of issues, especially the British compensation for farm relocation in post- independent Zimbabwe.
Since then, Mugabe has repeatedly lashed out at the British and warned his supporters that the West-favored opposition leader Tsvangirai might throw the country back into a de facto Western colony.
Mugabe on Monday also said that the elections must be held on July 31 as ruled by the country's constitutional court.
Mugabe said Tsvangirai has petitioned the African Union (AU) for a poll delay and the regional bloc has agreed to hold a special summit on Zimbabwe.
The AU has not yet made any official announcement.
This developed as Mugabe gave in to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)'s recommendation to ask the court to consider postponement. But the constitutional court rejected the appeal and ruled that the elections must go ahead on the Mugabe- proposed date.
"Now they go to the AU so that we postpone elections. At this stage?" Mugabe asked. "That cannot happen."
He reiterated that no regional groups have jurisdiction over the country's courts.
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