Mugabe keeps his political grip

Robert Mugabe’s party today nominated him as its candidate for president in voting next year, demonstrating the 83-year-old veteran’s hold over the main party despite Zimbabwe’s economic collapse.

During a Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front conference all 10 of the party’s provincial bodies backed Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 and earlier this year thwarted challenges from internal rivals. The elections are scheduled for March.