MUGABE FINDS URANIUM !

Mugabe reveals uranium power plan.
Robert Mugabe has been ostracised by many world leaders. Deposits of uranium have been unearthed in Zimbabwe, the country's President Robert Mugabe has said. Mr Mugabe said Zimbabwe would use the uranium to boost its energy supplies, but would not pursue nuclear weapons. Zimbabwe has a chronic energy shortage, blamed on a lack of foreign currency for spare parts, and imports power from several neighbouring countries. It also has close ties with Iran and North Korea, two states in the spotlight for their nuclear policies.

Zimbabwe state television carried reports of Mr Mugabe's comments, without giving details of where any uranium has been discovered. There have been no previous reports of uranium deposits existing in the country. "We recently discovered uranium which is used for many purposes, including electricity generation," Mr Mugabe said.

"Uranium also makes nuclear bombs such as those which were used to massacre the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That was sad indeed. "But we will not use it to make bombs but to generate electricity," he added. "The discovery of uranium will go a long way in further enhancing the government rural electrification programme." Zimbabwe has two main power stations - one thermal and one hydro-electric, but has failed to produce enough domestic power in recent years.

It imports electricity from Mozambique, DR Congo and South Africa to meet its needs.