PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has appealed to China and Russia to protect him from attacks by the United States and Europe.
Mugabe, who is barred from travelling to the US and the European Union because of alleged human rights violations and electoral fraud, is on an official visit to China.
The veteran leader claims that the West – apparently angered by the country’s empowerment programmes -- has imposed economic sanctions on the country as part of a wider regime change agenda aimed at forcing him and his Zanu PF party out of office.
Last Wednesday he met Acting President Xi Jinping and called on Russia and China to provide a buffer against the “Anglo-Saxon alliance’s expansionist agenda given what NATO did in Libya and threats posed to Syria and Iran,” his spokesman, George Charamba told state media.
“Countries like China and Russia must provide both leadership and protection,” Charamba quoted Mugabe as telling the Chinese leader.
“Nature has disbursed its resources in its own ways to different countries with some countries richly endowed while some are not. Even us who do not have oil feel no less menaced as these rapacious countries are looking for other resources.”
The Zimbabwean leader said Western countries were after the country’s mineral wealth.
At the height of Zimbabwe’s political problems, Russia and China repeatedly blocked EU and US attempts to have the United Nations Security Council impose sanctions on the Southern African country.
“All this (Zimbabwe’s wealth) is envied and we need protection,” he reportedly said.
“We rely on good friends like you to protect us and you have done that in the past. We do not lose confidence in you and please do not lose confident in us.”