Zimbabwe: 2007 till Mugabe resigns

**Tom Odom** · 08-01-2008

The very day I stepped off the plane onto the NDjili tarmac to meet Stan for the first time, Mobutu did the very same thing with the New Zaire set at 4NZ to the US Dollar, replacing the the old Zaire which used a 10 Million Z note.

Mugabe's no Einstein
Friday, August 1, 2008

President Robert Mugabe's portrait is displayed behind Zimbabwe's hyper-inflated currency. The central bank is issuing new notes with 10 zeros removed from them, effective Friday. Mr. Mugabe warned "entrepreneurs" against attempts at profiteering. (Getty Images)

With talks in South Africa set to resume this weekend on Zimbabwe's impasse, strongman Robert Mugabe has suddenly rediscovered his nation's disastrous economy. Not that Mr. Mugabe has applied the right lessons. On Wednesday, the regime rolled out an old classic in government economic illiteracy — a new zim dollar that simply knocks 10 digits off the old currency's denomination. So, a loaf of bread that previously cost Z$50 billion now costs either $50 billion of the old zim dollars, or $5 in new ones.

**Schmedlap** · 08-01-2008

The central bank is issuing new notes with 10 zeros removed from them, effective Friday.

Something similar happened to the value of my portfolio, except it was fewer zeros.

**Stan** · 08-02-2008

Originally Posted by Tom Odom

The very day I stepped off the plane onto the NDjili tarmac to meet Stan for the first time, Mobutu did the very same thing with the New Zaire set at 4NZ to the US Dollar, replacing the the old Zaire which used a 10 Million Z note.

Begs the question. What has kept Zimbabwe's legendary 5th Brigade (or any other unit for that matter) from going full tilt as did Zaire's 31st Para (assuming the North Korea-trained 5th still exists) ?

Where did Mugabe fix Mobutu's fatal error in keeping a county in "strangle hold"? Maybe the DRC was a lesson learned for Zimbabwe's government following their assistance against Ugandan and Rwandan rebel forces in the DRC.

**Tom Odom** · 08-02-2008

Originally Posted by Stan

Begs the question. What has kept Zimbabwe's legendary 5th Brigade (or any other unit for that matter) from going full tilt as did Zaire's 31st Para (assuming the North Korea-trained 5th still exists) ?

Where did Mugabe fix Mobutu's fatal error in keeping a county in "strangle hold"? Maybe the DRC was a lesson learned for Zimbabwe's government following their assistance against Ugandan and Rwandan rebel forces in the DRC.

Stan,

The difference is that the Zairian/Congo Mobutu crowd never fought to get into power. When they got in trouble, we bailed 'em out.

Mugabe's thugocracy did fight a war to get where they are. The veterans are not all veterans but veteran still means something.

Best

Tom

**Tom Odom** · 08-13-2008

This is so Mobutu it is uncanny. Did he have a long lost twin brother named Robert Mugabe?

Robert Mugabe 'strikes deal to exclude Morgan Tsvangirai'

Robert Mugabe last night appeared to have ensured his political survival by splitting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

A senior member of Mr Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party said that the 84-year-old dictator had agreed to set up a coalition government with Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a breakaway faction of the MDC with ten seats in Parliament.

**Norfolk** · 08-13-2008

Originally Posted by Tom Odom

This is so Mobutu it is uncanny. Did he have a long lost twin brother named Robert Mugabe?

Like bad horror-flick villains, these guys never really die, they just keep coming back for the umpteenth sequel. Or so it might seem.

**Ron Humphrey** · 08-13-2008

When and/or if it's ever going to occur to Mugabe's groupies that while he's busy thumbing his nose at what he perceives as undue and "ill advised" interference is his countries affairs; that he's thumbing his nose at the populous of the country at the same time. They won't likely forget it and even though he's a tough old bugger he ain't gon be round forever.

**Norfolk** · 08-14-2008

Maybe some of these guys figure once the time comes they'll just pull a reverse Mobutu, with the whole cloud and light thing going, except going up instead of down.

**Stan** · 08-14-2008

Originally Posted by Tom Odom

This is so Mobutu it is uncanny. Did he have a long lost twin brother named Robert Mugabe?

Tom, I think Robert had years of watching Uncle Mo doin' the dance

Let's face it, Mo was nearly famous for his adept political maneuvers. I recall the way in which he literally invited the head of an opposition group (Etienne Tshisekedi) to form a new government.

Hell, it actually worked til some bonehead tried to replace the Bank of Zaire President

**davidbfpo** · 08-27-2008

The State Opening of Parliament in Harare took a different form on Tuesday, alas without any film footage, but the BCC News carries this report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7583128.stm

Since then President Mugabe has declared a government can be formed without the MDC, so no real change there.

We can only hope the jeering had an effect.

davidbfpo

**davidbfpo** · 09-04-2008

The UK daily Telegraph reports President Mugabe has issued an ultimatium to the opposition MDC: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-Zimbabwe.html

davidbfpo