Mbabane, Swaziland - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe received a rousing stadium reception in the Swaziland capital Mbabane Saturday as he joined King Mswati III and other top guests for the king's lavish birthday celebrations.

Mugabe, 84, was one of a dozen state and government heads attending the Somhlolo Stadium celebrations amid tight security. He raised his fist in acknowledgement of the welcome, clearly delighted.

The celebrations went ahead amid heavy criticism in southern Africa that they ignored the plight of the poor, and tight security was ordered.

Mbabane, Swaziland  - Swaziland's government on Friday rejected accusations that King Mswati III was ignoring the plight of the poor and vowed a tight security cordon around a lavish birthday/independence celebration that is to be attended by several heads of state.

"Rest assured that nothing is going to happen. There's no way (protestors) are going to get near the stadium," government spokesman Percy Simelane said a day after upwards of 2,000 people took to the streets of the capital Mbabane in protest over spending on the party, and the absence of political freedom.