Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, in his first major speech since disputed elections three weeks ago, denounced former colonial ruler Britain today and said thieves were trying to steal his country.
Mr Mugabe (84) was greeted by 15,000 cheering supporters in a speech to mark independence day at a township stadium.
"Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country," he said.
Mr Mugabe is under heavy international pressure to release the result of a presidential election on March 29th, which the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it won, ending the veteran leader's long rule.
His 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 tomorrow. The MDC accuses the president of ordering militia violence around the country to intimidate the opposition and ensure victory in the runoff against MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
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. Yesterday, he accused the MDC of being a puppet of Britain and warned that imperialist forces were infiltrating the country and that it was in danger of being re-colonised.
"As long as I am still on this earth, as long as I am still breathing, the country shall never be a colony again. Never shall this country be a British colony again," Mr Mugabe said.
The carnival atmosphere at today's rally contrasted with the poverty outside the stadium 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.
Zimbabwe's economy is in ruins, with hyper-inflation, shortages of food and fuel and 80 per cent unemployment. Millions of people have fled to South Africa.
Security forces have patrolled the city's poor townships since the elections to head off any trouble. The MDC said yesterday hundreds of its supporters had been seriously injured in attacks by Zanu-PF since the election.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been criticised for saying there was no crisis in Zimbabwe, yesterday called for prompt publication of the election results.
Mr Tsvangirai later called on Mr Mbeki to stand down as mediator, despite a shift by South Africa from its "quiet diplomacy" strategy to the country's electoral crisis.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on a visit to the United States, told UN meeting this week that Mr Mugabe was trying to steal the election. The sharp language was endorsed yesterday by US President George W. Bush who told a news conference after meeting Mr Brown he supported his stand on Zimbabwe.