Zimbabwe's Mugabe says party, people see no replacement for him at 2018 election

Reuters - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was quoted as saying on Sunday that his ZANU-PF party and the people saw no viable successor to him for general elections in 2018.

"They want me to stand for elections, they want me to stand for elections everywhere in the party ... The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am," he said in comments to state media ahead of his 93rd birthday this coming week.

Mugabe has been in power since 1980 and in December his party confirmed him as its candidate for the next presidential election expected in mid-2018, when he will be 94.