Mugabe says 'only God' can remove him

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, June 21 (UPI) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says "only God," and not an election, can remove him from power.

The BBC reported Mugabe as making the comments in front supporters in the southern city of Bulawayo, campaigning against the political challenge posed by the Movement for Democratic Change and its presidential candidate, Morgan Tsavgirai.

"We will never allow an event like an election to reverse our independence, our sovereignty," he said. "Only God, who appointed me, will remove me -- not the MDC, not the British."

Mugabe also reportedly accused the MDC of making up its claims that at least 70 of its supporters have been killed by police and paramilitary Mugabe supporters. That claim was echoed by Mugabe's police chief, Augustine Chihuri, who said the MDC itself is to blame for the political violence in Zimbabwe.

"All necessary force will be applied on malcontents and perpetrators of violence," the BBC reported him as saying. "This violence is aimed at intimidating people from voting."