A power-sharing deal between President Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change would be a very “African solution to an African problem”.

If, as was expected last night, a deal is struck that allows Robert Mugabe to remain in Zimbabwe, the 84-year-old will live out the rest of his life in luxury in the £8 million retirement home he built during his 28-year rule. He will be free to entertain acolytes in his splendid villa built at taxpayers’ expense within view of the people he has reduced to penury.

Some may not begrudge him such a retirement: they are prepared to pay any price to see him out of power.

Western countries, particularly Britain, will hate the deal, but Mr Mugabe has outfoxed them throughout his career. “Yes, it is an African solution to an African problem — but remember, most African leaders believe the Zimbabwe crisis is as much the fault of the United Kingdom as it is of Mugabe,” a source close to the negotiations told The Times.

The former colonial power is seen as having reneged on the Lancaster House agreement that gave Zimbabwe independence in 1980 by failing to help to end land inequality whereby 4,000 white farmers occupied 96 per cent of productive agricultural land.

Diplomatic sources said that negotiations were focusing on a power-sharing deal that would involve roles for both Zanu (PF) and the Movement for Democratic Change. Such a deal would be aimed at honouring Zanu (PF)’s historic role in “liberating” the country from British rule. It conveniently also means that while Zanu (PF) is still in government Mr Mugabe has de facto immunity from prosecution for “crimes” committed in office.Mr Mugabe was said to be emphasising in the negotiations the need to accord a former freedom-fighter “respect and dignity”. In Africa this argument still resonates and few people would want to see Mr Mugabe facing a humiliating show trial at The Hague similar to that being conducted against the former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

That means that Mr Mugabe’s clampdown, which some of his critics called a genocide, on opponents in Matabeleland in the 1980s will be overlooked, as will more recent human rights abuses.

For his part, Mr Mugabe is expected to live out his days in the sumptuous 25-bedroom retirement home that for years he sought to avoid. The three-storey mansion is reported to have four acres of floor space, with Italian marble and ceilings decorated by Arab craftsmen. It sits in 44 acres of woodland in the exclusive Harare suburb of Borrowdale.

One of Mr Mugabe’s neighbours will be Haile Mengistu Mariam, the former dictator who killed thousands of people during Ethiopia’s Marxist revolution. He was granted sanctuary in Zimbabwe in 1991 and has subsequently fought off all attempts to make him face justice before international tribunals.

Such compromises are seen as the only way to ensure that African leaders, no matter how reluctantly,do eventually relinquish power.

That may not be to the West’s taste but it is a reality of life in Africa and one that the victims of such regimes accept.

Kenya’s former dictator Daniel arap Moi stole billions and now lives the life of a grand old statesman in western Kenya, often offering to mediate in the region’s seemingly intractable disputes, among them Darfur.

“Even many of Mugabe’s opponents would not want to see him vilified before foreign courts seen as being in the hands of colonial oppressors. It may be nonsense but it is a sign of the strength of lingering hostility from colonial days,” the diplomatic source added.

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