HARARE, Zimbabwe, March 24 (UPI) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is using next week's elections as another pretext to blame British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his country's huge problems.
Voters are amused the British leader, for whom Mugabe always has shown contempt, is dominating the election in the former British colony that is reeling under 80 percent unemployment under Mugabe's leadership, the Times of London reported Thursday.
Mugabe says next week's voting will be an "anti-Blair election," while making rallies against Blair the main platform of his ruling Zanu party.
A full-page advertisement in the government-run Herald newspaper urged voters to "Bury Blair, Vote Zanu PF." Blair was blamed for everything from "racist factory closures" to "politically motivated price increases" and sanctions.
Mugabe also accuses Blair of financing the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
"It's like Tony Blair is having to fight an election campaign on two fronts -- in Britain and here," Andrew Moyse, project co-coordinator for Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe, said.
