President Mugabe launched a bitter attack on Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain today in his first major speech since disputed elections last month.

The 84-year-old strongman told a crowd of 15,000 cheering supporters marking Independence Day that London was paying the population to turn against him.

“Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country,” he said.

In a stream of invective, Mr Mugabe added: “Today they are like thieves fronting their lackeys among us, which they give money to confuse our people.”

Mr Mugabe, who has been in power since independence in 1980, is under heavy international criticism for the delay in releasing results from a March 29 presidential election, which the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says was won by its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

But the President was characteristically defiant in his speech, repeating a familiar line that Britain, not the MDC, was the real enemy. “Today they have perfected their tactics to a more subtle form by using money literally to buy some people to turn against their government. We are being bought like livestock,” he said.

Mr Mugabe said that the government had intervened to stop independence war veterans from taking up arms against white farmers who were trying to reoccupy land which he has confiscated. “Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. Never shall we retreat,” said Mr Mugabe, who was wearing a dark suit and tie and speaking mostly in the local Shona language.

The former guerrilla commander received a rousing welcome from his supporters at Gwanzura stadium in Highfield, a restive opposition stronghold on the edge of the capital Harare. Many people wore T-shirts decorated with his portrait.

Mr Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) party lost control of parliament for the first time in the election, but no results have been issued yet for the presidential poll. A partial recount of both votes is scheduled for Saturday.

After a few days when he seemed badly wounded by the election, Mr Mugabe - backed by his military and hardliners in the cabinet - has returned to his normal defiant self. The MDC accuses him of ordering militia violence around the country to intimidate the opposition and ensure victory in an expected run-off against Mr Tsvangirai.

Mr Mugabe’s loyal police and military paraded in the stadium before his speech and large posters denounced the opposition and Britain.

The carnival atmosphere in the stadium contrasted with the poverty outside where the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy has forced residents to contend with shortages of water, food and electricity as well as piles of uncollected garbage.

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