Emotional, angry Zimbabwean President Mugabe castigates West at sister’s burial

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe attacks West at sister’s burial

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s president says the death of his sister robbed him of one of his closest friends and allies in his lifelong fight against colonial era rule and Western dominance in Africa.

In an emotional and angry address Sunday at the state funeral of Sabina Mugabe, 81, President Robert Mugabe castigated the West and said after his sister’s death Thursday he will not abandon their cause.

“To hell” with Europeans and Americans opposed to his rule, he said.

U.S. Ambassador Charles Ray left the funeral during Mugabe’s address in apparent protest.

Sabina Mugabe retired from Parliament in 2008 after a lifetime in politics alongside Mugabe. She was buried at Heroes Acre, a national shrine for loyalist politicians and fallen guerrillas from the liberation war that ended white rule in Zimbabwe in 1980.