Zimbabwe's Mugabe Accuses The U.S., U.K. For 'Masterminding' Cholera Outbreak

December 13, 2008 8:35 a.m. EST

Harare, Zimbabwe (AHN) - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe blamed the cholera outbreak in the country on the West as the epidemic has left hundreds of people dead with no proper health care facilities.

Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu of Zimbabwe described the outbreak as a "genocidal onslaught on the people of Zimbabwe by the British," according to the state-run Herald newspaper on Saturday.

"Cholera is a calculated racist terrorist attack on Zimbabwe by the unrepentant former colonial power which has enlisted support from its American and Western allies so that they invade the country," Ndlovu was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Eight-four year old Mugabe's government has also suggested that the United States was involved in the cholera outbreak, raising the fears that her country may have launched "biological warfare" on Zimbabwe.

The concerns follows comments by the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe James D. McGee that the U.S. had been preparing for the outbreak, which started in August, for serveral years.

Last week, the Kenyan Prime Minister called upon the African Union members to arrange an emergency meeting to end Zimbabwe's worsening humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga suggested to send foreign troops to remove Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as the country continues to struggle with the crisis and investigate the killing of thousands.

The reports said that the country has been suffering from a cholera outbreak, which has lead to the deaths of as many as 792 residents since August this year.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the epidemic has not been contained and the death toll is rising, despite Mugabe stressing that the spread of cholera had been halted.

"Because of sanctions we have not been able to import enough water purification chemicals and water restitution pipes," Ndlovu was quoted as saying by the Herald.

"Government through the RBZ [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] has provided the Zimbabwe National Water Authority with foreign currency to import chemicals."

The reports suggest that the government of Zimbabwe considers the outbreak as an excuse for the U.S. and U.K. to mobilise military action against the country.