Zimbabwe: Mugabe will run in 2018 elections - Zanu PF

Zimbabwe’s 92-year-old president Robert Mugabe could be vying for a further term in office in the 2018 elections. According to the country’s ruling party Zanu PF, Mugabe is certain to be endorsed as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2018 polls.

The party’s secretary general Ignatius Chombo revealed that Mugabe will get the endorsement at the party’s annual conference this week, saying that Mugabe brings “wisdom and unity” to his leadership of Zimbabwe, which is struggling with a dire economic situation that has prompted periodic protests against the government.

This is a confusing twist of plot, coming after Mugabe’s announcement in early November that he would retire. Speaking to a group of war veterans in November, Mugabe admitted that the country’s economy is crumbling and said he would retire. He has previously said that he would die in office,although he said he is open to retirement if asked by his party.

He has also dismissed demands by once stalwart war veteran supporters to quit, saying he was in power by popular vote and accusing critics of plotting his ouster with longtime Western opponents.

MUGABE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT! But only in 2023, when he turns 99. Even sapresident will be gone by then ali_naka pic.twitter.com/TYGL3DvSox

— Neal Collins (@nealcol) November 21, 2016

Mugabe turns 93 in February, and has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence from white minority rule in 1980.

The Southern African country’s currency is in poor shape and banks running out of cash, and the country is also feeling the pinch of a crippling drought.