Robert Mugabe has been the leader of Zimbabwe in southern Africa since 1980 and is the country's only leader since it gained independence from Britain. He was declared victor for his seventh term as president of Zimbabwe on Saturday, August 3, according to the head of the country's Election Commission. Allegations of voter fraud have surfaced for this most recent vote, and tensions were already high due to a troubled 2008 vote. That election left Mugabe as the only candidate after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai dropped out amid election fraud, violence and arrests targeting his party and supporters.
Harare, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's main opposition on Tuesday boycotted the ceremony for a new parliamentary session, during which President Robert Mugabe appealed to the West to lift sanctions on him and his Zanu PF party leadership.
"With the elections now behind us, we look forward to meaningful and effective collaboration with all progressive members of the global community," Mugabe said.
"We indeed stand ready to work with those, who, before were at odds with us; our detractors. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will continue to demand the immediate and unconditional removal of illegal sanctions imposed by some Western arrogant countries," said the 89-year-old leader.
Veteran leader Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwean president on Thursday. At the age of 89, he is among the oldest leaders in office, with only the Israeli President Shimon Peres (90) his senior.
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His 33-year rule of Zimbabwe was extended by another five years when he won the July 31 elections. Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change regards those elections as a "monumental fraud."
"We would have recognized a stolen election had we attended the ceremony," said Douglas Mwonzora, the spokesperson for the MDC said of parliamentary opening. He said the party's MDC would attend usual parliamentary sessions.
Last week, Mugabe appointed a new cabinet that retained a controversial policy of seizing majority stake of foreign-owned firms and giving them to black natives of Zimbabwe.
He said the program will be "reviewed and strengthened," adding Zimbabwe's economic recovery would be anchored on financial assistance from countries such as India and China.
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Mugabe jokingly puts up his fists for the media in Geneva in 1974.
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Mugabe speaks with his wife in Salisbury in 1980.
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