Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has defended his party's detention of Movement for Democratic Change leaders.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday night, the 85-year-old president blamed international sanctions for his countries deterioration.

When asked why the MDC's Roy Bennet had not yet been sworn in as deputy minister of agriculture, a visibly uncomfortable Mugabe tried to explain the charges against Bennet:

"He was found responsible for organising arms of war against Zimbabwe," he stuttered.