Tom Porteous's criticisms of my approach to Zimbabwe show the human rights movement is ill-equipped to deal with Zanu PFTom Porteous, the director of Human Rights Watch London, wrote to the Guardian last week to claim that "Blessing-Miles Tendi blames EU targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies for the failure of last year's power-sharing deal to bring about the hoped-for political transformation in Zimbabwe.

We were struck by the lack of a critical response to the research cited by Larry Elliott and Heather Stewart on Africa and the millennium development goals, (Africa begins to make poverty history, 3 March).

Robert Mugabe and Carol Vorderman are lending support to the Conservatives. Are they the celebrity sparkle the party needs?Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has become the latest big name to lend his support to the Conservative party.Speaking in Zimbabwe yesterday, the controversial leader made disparaging comments about Labour administrations and looked forward to a David Cameron victory:"We have always related better with the British through the Conservatives than Labour.

Blessing-Miles Tendi (Zuma's right on Zimbabwe, 4 March) blames EU targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies for the failure of last year's power-sharing deal to bring about the hoped-for political transformation in Zimbabwe. That is absurd. The evidence that Zanu-PF continues to violate the agreement is overwhelming. In the past year MDC activists have been killed and abducted. Legislators and journalists have been arrested on spurious charges. Repressive media laws remain in place. Illegal invasions of commercial farms continue. Zanu-PF continues to use its control of the army, police and security sector to persecute its opponents.

Zimbabwe's president declares Conservatives are bold and know how to relate to others whereas Blair and Brown run awayIt has been a difficult few weeks for the Tories – the Ashcroft affair, talk of splits, erratic poll numbers and doubts over their economic policy. But at last they can enjoy some good news: no lesser global statesman than Robert Mugabe has offered David Cameron his endorsement."We have always related better with the British through the Conservatives than Labour," Zimbabwe's president said today.

The EU sanctions are not only internally divisive but iniquitous and obstructive to democracyLifting sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party "would give Zimbabwe an opportunity to move forward", Jacob Zuma told reporters this week during his visit to Britain. South Africa's president is right.

Travel bans and asset freezes imposed on Robert Mugabe serve only to divide the already fragile power-sharing, South African president saysThe South African president, Jacob Zuma, began his three-day state visit to the UK today with a call for international sanctions on Zimbabwe to be lifted.Zuma told reporters in London that the travel bans and asset freezes imposed by the EU and the US on Robert Mugabe and his allies served only to divide the already fragile power-sharing government in Zimbabwe.Repeating calls by the Southern African Development Community for a suspension of the sanctions, Zuma said: "Our view is that the unity government should be supported so that it can get out of the difficulties that face Zimbabwe ...

Robert Mugabe is the eldest statesman on a continent where age is seldom a barrier to powerLet them eat cake. That is one of the likely headlines after an all-night birthday gala for Robert Mugabe, the autocratic president of Zimbabwe, which was due to finish in the early hours of yesterday.

Opponents condemn proposals to mark Zimbabwean president's 86th birthday as unemployment reaches nine in 10Plans to hold a lavish all-night birthday party for the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, were today condemned as insensitive to the suffering of the country's people.Mugabe's 86th birthday will be celebrated next week with an "extravagant overnight gala" starring local and international musicians, the Zimbabwe Times reported.The paper said Anywhere Mutambudzi, a retired army major who is an official with the information ministry, would organise the event – being held in Bulawayo – which would run from 6pm on 26 February until 6am the following da

MDC hopes to use global spotlight on South Africa to ensure Robert Mugabe runs a fair and non-violent pollOpponents of President Robert Mugabe have demanded early elections in Zimbabwe, timed to coincide with the World Cup being staged in neighbouring South Africa.The demand by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) came as talks to extend the lifespan of the year-old unity government ended in deadlock last week.The MDC hopes that the media focus on the region will raise the possibility of staging free and fair elections.