Supporters of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe chanting "tongai, tongai baba" (rule, rule father) endorsed on Saturday the 92-year-old leader for a 2018 election run.
The endorsement, which is likely to result in his 36-year rule being extended, was greeted with thunderous applause by thousands of party faithful attending the ruling ZANU-PF's annual conference.
Mugabe accepted dressed in a green floral jacket bearing his own portrait and a map of Zimbabwe.
The veteran leader has held power since independence from British colonial rule in 1980 and has always avoided naming a successor or laying out plans to retire.
He once quipped that he would rule until he turned 100.
The conference, held in the southeastern town of Masvingo, expressed "its support to the president and first secretary comrade Robert Mugabe as the sole candidate for the forthcoming 2018 elections", deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo said.
The absence of a clear successor to Mugabe has sparked infighting including verbal exchanges on social media in recent weeks between factions angling for his position.
Accepting his endorsement, Mugabe called for unity.
"We agreed that conflicts should end. Infighting should end. The party ideology should be followed," he said.
Mugabe, who has been dogged by rumours of poor health and is usually animated during lengthy political addresses, spoke slowly during his short acceptance speech.
- 'Rule forever' -
He stressed that discipline among party members should be maintained and that "leaders should be respected".
"Let us be one. We are one family, the family of ZANU-PF, bound together by the fact of understanding between its members," he said.
Large portraits of a younger Mugabe were displayed around a huge marquee where the conference was held, with the majority of about 9,000 delegates donning shirts emblazoned with their leader's face.
"We want President Mugabe to rule forever and ever because of his clear leadership," one elated delegate, Janet Mazviwanza, told AFP.
Despite his popularity within the party ranks, Mugabe this year faced unprecedented calls for him to step down, including a series of rare public protests over his failure to turn the ailing economy around.
Critical cash shortages prompted the government at the end of November to introduce the much disliked 'bond notes' -- equivalent to the US dollar.
Zimbabwe abandoned its own dollar currency in 2009 after hyperinflation hit 500 billion percent rendering it unusable.
Unemployment in the country is currently at about 90 percent, and thousands of companies have closed in the last three years.
Among the protest groups at rallies in recent months have been university graduates who wore their caps and gowns to show their anger at the lack of jobs.
The street protests led police to ban demonstrations in the capital Harare, with some activists arrested.
Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government has on several occasions failed to pay the salaries of civil servants on time, and workers have this month been informed that they will only get their pay in January.
During the five-day ZANU-PF conference, the party raised concern at the abuse of social media and the national flag.
Recently the Zimbabwean flag has been used as a symbol of political defiance by protesters and social activists who challenged Mugabe's government.
Early this year, #ThisFlag social media movement led by Pastor Evan Mawarire saw a wave of internet activism, as people expressed anger at the growing economic meltdown.
"There are however some concerns about the use of social media at a time when political parties are preparing for 2018 elections," read a report by the party central committee.
"This phenomenon has been worsened by people who want to create chaos and destabilise the country."
AFP
Sun Dec 18 2016
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe speaks at the party's annual conference on December 17, 2016 in Masvingo. / AFP PHOTO
Jenazah Tun Hanif Omar dikebumi di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Bukit Kiara
Jenazah Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar akan dikebumikan di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Bukit Kiara.
Wanita ditahan bantu siasatan kes simbah OKU dengan air panas
Polis menahan seorang wanita bagi membantu siasatan kejadian seorang lelaki sindrom Down melecur pada bahagian badan disyaki akibat disimbah air panas ketika berada di dalam lif.
Kepimpinan MPN PKR Sabah: Tiada nama spesifik dibincangkan - Fahmi
Ketua Penerangan PKR Fahmi Fadzil berkata tiada nama spesifik yang dibincangkan berkaitan kepimpinan Majlis Pimpinan Negeri (MPN) PKR Sabah.
Pemergian Tun Hanif kehilangan buat negara - Musa Hassan
Pemergian bekas Ketua Polis Negara (KPN) Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar adalah satu kerugian buat negara.
Wanita maut, dua lelaki parah kereta langgar pokok
Seorang wanita maut, manakala dua lelaki cedera parah selepas kereta dinaiki mereka terbabas sebelum melanggar sebatang pokok di tepi jalan dalam kemalangan di Jalan Macalister awal hari ini.
Israel perlu waspada jika negara Asia Barat masuk campur
Israel seharusnya mengambil pengajaran daripada konflik dengan Iran supaya tindak bertindak sewenang-wenangnya mencabuli hak rakyat Islam, terutamanya Palestin.
AWANI Ringkas: PM: Isu PKR Sabah akan diselesaikan segera
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
DNB nafi dakwaan tidak telus dalam menjalankan operasi dalaman
Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) dengan tegas menafikan dakwaan bertindak tidak telus dalam menjalankan operasi dalaman serta menolak sebarang gambaran negatif terhadap amalan tadbir urus dan perolehannya.
Adakah ia akan mencetuskan perang lebih besar & dahsyat di Asia Barat?
Prof. Dr. Mizan Mohammad Aslam, Jabatan Hubungan Antarabangsa, Keselamatan dan Undang-Undang
KPN Razarudin ucap takziah pemergian Tun Hanif Omar
Ketua Polis Negara (KPN), Tan Sri Razarudin Husain bersama timbalannya Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay dan seluruh warga Polis Diraja Malaysia menzahirkan ucapan takziah buat ahli keluarga bekas KPN, Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar yang meninggal dunia akibat sakit buah pinggang pada awal pagi Sabtu.
Pilihan raya mengejut: Amanah gesa PH segera persiapkan jentera
Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) menggesa semua parti komponen Pakatan Harapan (PH) mempersiapkan jentera pilihan raya dengan kadar segera.
Rehat sebentar dari politik Malaysia, hiburkan diri dengan Bruno Mars
Ketika rakyat Malaysia rancak berbual tentang keputusan PRU14, yang sedang diumumkan pada malam ini, penyanyi Bruno Mars menggegarkan Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.
Menjelang 'Grand Finale', borak luar garisan politik dominasi media sosial
Pengguna media sosial lebih bebas menyatakan pendapat mengenai PRU14 dan politik dan tidak dibayangi oleh pemimpin-pemimpin atau parti-parti politik.
Undi luar negara tidak beri kesan kepada kerusi marginal?
Walaupun calon Parlimen Pulai mengakui undi luar negara tidak memberi kesan kepada keputusan di kerusi itu kelak, ia tetap tidak mengubah kedudukan kerusi itu sebagai salah satu kerusi marginal.
PRU14: Beban berat buat Fahmi Fadzil untuk teruskan legasi Nurul Izzah
Kerja kuat pencabar daripada BN, Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, juga mungkin menyebabkan laluan Fahmi ke Parlimen lebih sukar.
PRU14: Karpet merah atau onak duri menanti Tun M di Langkawi?
Adakah Langkawi bakal beri laluan mudah kepada Tun M?
Climate change in Malaysia and what it means for us
The worlds climate is changing for the worse, and humans are responsible for that. Lets dive into a touch of science to make sense of this.
Beri peluang Umno terajui BN P. Pinang - Reezal Merican
Barisan Nasional (BN) Pulau Pinang wajar memberi peluang kepada Umno untuk mengetuai barisan kepimpinan parti itu bagi memulihkan kepercayaan rakyat di negeri ini.
PR teruskan perhimpunan bantah keputusan PRU-13
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) meneruskan perhimpunan pasca pilihan raya umum ke-13 (PRU-13)di Stadium Kelana Jaya malam ini.
Bantahan terbuka tidak akan ubah keputusan PRU13 - SPR
Sebarang bantahan terbuka atau perhimpunan tidak mampu mengubah keputusan pilihan raya umum atau mengakibatkan ia diadakan semula, kata Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya.