President Robert Mugabe said his government will not invite "imperialist" nations to monitor Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections scheduled for March, state media reported on Saturday. Mugabe has been accused by the opposition and mostly Western countries of rigging his re-election in 2002 and ZANU-PF's equally controversial victory in parliamentary polls four years ago.
The veteran leader, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, charged "imperialist" countries were plotting to indirectly recolonise nations like Zimbabwe under the veil of observing elections.
"We will invite our neighbours. Former imperialist countries are liars, completely dishonest. There is a Third World. So why should we be judged by the First World," Mugabe was quoted in the state-owned Herald newspaper.
Mugabe has accused former colonial ruler Britain of meddling in the country's internal affairs and working with the opposition to overthrow his government.
Mugabe was speaking to foreign delegates attending an ongoing ZANU-PF congress in Harare.