Zimbabwe’s ruling party has been criticised for hosting lavish 92nd birthday celebrations for President Robert Mugabe while swathes of the population face food shortages.

The event reportedly cost almost $800,000 (£575,000).

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) called the celebrations “obscene”.

Mr Mugabe has dominated Zimbabwe politics since independence from the UK in 1980.

The event, which was televised and featured schoolchildren reading poetry about the president, was held in the drought-stricken south eastern city of Masvingo.