LONDON: Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has defended his support of President Robert Mugabe.

His comments came a day after he was booed off stage at an address for more than 1,000 Zimbabwean exiles in London. Tsvangirai admitted the widely-criticised land reforms where white farmers were forced from their land had been a “disaster”. He is on a tour of Europe and the US to lobby for relief funds for Zimbabwe. He joined a unity government with Mr Mugabe in February following disputed elections in the poverty-stricken country. Tsvangirai, who had in the past been badly beaten by pro-Mugabe forces as leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said he understood why there was surprise over his co-operation with the president. He said the country’s president, who has ruled the landlocked former British colony since 1980, had accepted there need to be changes.

“Mr Mugabe has already moved, he has already accepted that this is a process of transition and after two years we should go for an election,” he explained.