U.N. Offered Mugabe Lucrative Retirement Package

The U.S. diplomatic cable, dated Sept. 27, 2000 states that then United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan offered Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe a deal to step down that probably included "provision of safehaven and a financial package from Libyan President Qadhafi," reports British newspaper The Guardian.

The memo records a meeting between a U.S. embassy official in Harare and a redacted source from Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Mugabe's opposition party.

Mugabe reportedly turned down the alleged offer the next day after discussing with his wife, said the source in the cable.

The source also revealed that the Annan was not the only one trying to pay Mugabe to step down. A "shady white Zimbabwean businessman" offered to finance a retirement package as well.

Although Mugabe declined both offers, the MDC source said that he was willing to step down under the right conditions.

Mugabe became President of the African nation in 1987, since having been reelected four times in elections that have been overrun with allegations of fraud and intimidation.