10:18am UK, Tuesday September 03, 2002

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has launched a blistering attack on Tony Blair and European "interference" in African affairs.

Mugabe repeatedly condemned the Blair government, which he said "manipulated" affairs in Zimbabwe.

sl president robert mugabe earth summit speech

Mugabe giving his fiery speech

There was loud applause from some sections of the audience as Mugabe spoke to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.

Mr Mugabe declared: "Blair, keep your England and let me keep my Zimbabwe. Let no one interfere with our processes."

Accusing

Earlier the leader of Namibia weighed in, accusing Mr Blair of causing the land crisis in Zimbabwe.

President Sam Nujoma singled out the British Prime Minister on the day Mr Blair called on developed countries to tackle poverty in the Third World.

"We here in southern Africa have one big problem, created by the British. The honourable Tony Blair is here, and he created the situation in Zimbabwe," he said in his address to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.

Did not respond

Mr Blair took the podium about 10 minutes after the Namibian president, but did not respond to the attack.

But later he said Mr Nujoma was defending the "utterly indefensible", and so hindered "those of us who are really fighting for Africa".

He told Sky News Mr Mugabe's government was "impoverishing its people, ruining its economy, and depriving them of their democratic rights".