President Robert Mugabe was re-elected yesterday as leader of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF at a depleted party congress in Harare, which showed signs of strain after officials struggled to raise funds for the five-yearly traditional jamboree.

He said yesterday that the unity Government would be short-lived and he planned to regain his hold over the country he has ruled for nearly three decades.

"The inclusive Government has a short life of 24 months," he said.

"So we must be ready for the elections and we must not be defeated like we were last year. We must win resoundingly and regain the constituents we lost."

Mugabe, 85, had used a speech on Saturday to decry factionalism in his party, the Zimbabwe African Union-Patriotic Front.

"There are too many leaders now outside the scope of the leaders provided for in our constitution," he said, adding that the party was "eating itself up".

University of Zimbabwe lecturer John Makumbe said the address showed Mugabe's desperation after 29 years in power.

"He was shouting and screaming about factionalism, but really he was saying 'we are dead' as a party."

Last February Mugabe was forced into a unity Government with Morgan Tsvangirai, 57, now the Prime Minister, after Zanu-PF lost its parliamentary majority and the presidential race ended in dispute.

Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change remain politically hamstrung by Zanu-PF obstructionism. But targeted sanctions by the United States and European Union and the move by MDC Finance Minister Tendai Biti to abolish the Zimbabwe dollar - whose use as a patronage tool had wrecked the economy - have removed the last of Zanu-PF's authority.

Neighbouring South Africa has also hardened its stance after years of dithering under former President Thabo Mbeki. Two weeks ago President Jacob Zuma sent a new team of negotiators to Harare to try to advance talks between the MDC and Zanu-PF over the troubled "global political agreement" which divides power.

Makumbe said Mugabe's continued tenure of the party leadership simply proved that Zanu-PF "is too sick" to survive a healthy leadership battle.

"They know they do not have anyone who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Tsvangirai and hope to win an election."

Zanu-PF has already endorsed Mugabe as the candidate for elections in 2013, when he will be 89.

nzherald