Zimbabwe: 2007 till Mugabe resigns

[Tom Odom]

Just a brief primer on Zimbabwe politics:

ZANU or (ZANU-PF as it is now labeled) is Mugabe's bunch. They were Shoma-based as a resistance group. ZANU with ZANLA as its armed wing was supported by the PRC and based from Mozambique.

ZANU-PF resulted from the merger with ZAPU after Nkomo was ousted and a civila war between the groups developed. this was ongoing when I went through Zimbabwe in 1984, centered in Matableland.

ZAPU was/is Nkomo's group centered on the Ndebele (who are Zulu in origin having fled from Shaka and sheltered under Brit protection); ZAPU with its armed wing ZIPRA was Soviet supported and based from Zambia.

This should help put this article in context:

Peace Won't Come to Zimbabwe
By MARIAN L. TUPY and DAVID COLTART
March 14, 2008

Zimbabwe's presidential and parliamentary elections on March 29 are rigged in favor of the incumbent leader Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front. Much ink has been spilled on the electoral prospects of his two opponents -- Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, and former Finance Minister Simba Makoni. But neither have a realistic chance of winning, for Mr. Mugabe knows that the most likely alternative to the State House in Harare is a prison cell at The Hague.


The case against Mr. Mugabe and the ZANU-PF for crimes against humanity would be compelling. They have turned one of Africa's most prosperous and relatively free nations into an Orwellian nightmare. Since 1994, the average life expectancy in Zimbabwe has fallen to 34 from 57 for women and to 37 from 54 for men. Some 3,500 Zimbabweans die every week from the combined effects of HIV/AIDS, poverty and malnutrition. Inflation and unemployment are at 150,000% (no misprint here) and 80%, respectively. The country has no freedom of speech or assembly, and the government has used violence to intimidate and murder its opponents. In the meantime, Zimbabwe's delusional leader rails against non-existent Western plots supposedly concocted by George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

[davidbfpo]

The BBC have an item on the reaction of Zimbabwe's Police chief to the prospect of Mugabe not winning an election: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7295962.stm

For those who watch Zimbabwe's fall, this will not be a surprise and the police chief has nothing to lose - will except the farms he has managed to acquire.

davidbfpo

[Tom Odom]

World Could longtime Zimbabwean leader Mugabe be defeated?

MASVINGO, Zimbabwe — Few people in this long-suffering nation can recall political life before Robert Mugabe, the liberation hero who moved into the presidential mansion 28 years ago and has never left.

Despite presiding over one of the most stunning economic collapses in modern African history, Mugabe has held on to power through fear, bullying and a series of less-than-fair elections. But with the next vote just days away, many weary Zimbabweans are asking: Could Mugabe finally be defeated?

The 84-year-old president faces his toughest election challenge ever March 29, including, for the first time, a contender from within his all-powerful ruling party. The entry of Simba Makoni, a polished former finance minister, into the race last month prompted a flood of people to register to vote. Many Zimbabweans think that the end is nigh for one of Africa's longest-running dictatorships.

Cynic that I am, I don't think Mugabe will leave so quietly...

Tom

[Tom Odom]

From an opposition candidate. It is never good when the opposition opens with the admission that the incumbent will probably win.

Freedom for Zimbabwe
By MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
March 21, 2008; Page A13

As the March 29 election in Zimbabwe approaches, the cards are clearly stacked in favor of President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party. Draconian legislation has curtailed freedom of expression and association. Daily, the representatives of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the political party that I lead, are harassed, tortured, imprisoned without trial and even killed.

Economic mismanagement by Mr. Mugabe's government is an even more serious problem. Zimbabwe's inflation and unemployment rates are 150,000% and 80% respectively. Infrastructure is crumbling, and education and health-care systems have collapsed. Life expectancy is now among the lowest in the world, having declined, since 1994, to 34 years from 57 years for women, and to 37 years from 54 for men. Some four million of my fellow citizens have fled the country, taking with them both human and financial capital.

Out of the many reasons for Zimbabwe's decline, three stand out. First is the ruling regime's contempt for the rule of law. The government has repeatedly stole elections, and intimidated, beaten and murdered its opponents. It has confiscated private property without compensation and ignored court rulings declaring such takings illegal. Such behavior only scares away investors, domestic and international. Current circumstances make it impossible to have a growing economy that will create jobs for millions of unemployed Zimbabweans.

[/QUOTE]

[davidbfpo]

Taken from a Zimbabwean newsletter:

MUGABE CHANGES LAW TO ALLOW POLICEMEN INTO POLLING BOOTHS http://www.swradioafrica.com/news190...lice190308.htm

An electoral amendment, passed by Robert Mugabe on Monday, sparked renewed fears that Zanu PF is determined to rig the March 29 election. State radio announced Tuesday that Mugabe amended electoral laws to allow policemen into polling stations to ‘assist’ illiterate people to vote. The opposition immediately slammed the amendment saying it violated agreements reached at the SADC brokered talks. Policemen were barred from being within 100 metres of a polling station because it was felt they would intimidate voters.

SA SILENCES MPS ON SADC OBSERVER MISSION TO ZIMBABWE http://www.swradioafrica.com/news200...ence200308.htm

It appears that the policy of “quiet diplomacy” practiced by South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki is about to be applied to the regional observer mission deployed to Zimbabwe. South African parliamentarians assigned to the SADC team that will be monitoring Zimbabwe’s elections have been ordered not to issue independent statements.

SOLDIERS AND POLICE OFFICERS FORCED TO VOTE UNDER SUPERVISION http://www.swradioafrica.com/news200...iers200308.htm

Over 75 000 members of the country’s security forces have already cast their votes, in an exercise that has been a closely guarded secret, according to information received by the MDC. In Bulawayo most police officers were allegedly forced to vote several times, while in Mutare soldiers were ordered to write their force numbers on the back of their ballot papers.

From this faraway armchair Mugabe once again finds new voting methods to retain power.

davidbfpo

[M-A Lagrange]

Talking about Bob, what I like with him, it is capacity to basically eat up opposition.
He created ZANU on an ethnic base to liberate his country (at least we have to give him that) and challenge ZAPU. Once he deep put Smith on his knees, he had to face ZAPU. First he won the civil war but to be sure to stay in power, heintegrated ZAPU into ZANU and made it ZANU-PF.
Now MDC is challenging him on the elections once again. Well, last time he managed to stay in powerwhile openingly loosing the elections.
He is (we like it or not) a hero for all politicians in the sub region. I do not know much of them that do not hown him their job. Also he has china behind him with their "win/win cooperation".
(I saw the effect in Harare in 2007. After selling all beef meat to china against weapons,we had to eat chiken for months and we were lucky.)
Next step is a ZANU-PF-MDC one party.

[davidbfpo]

Via Zimbabwe mailing list: http://www.mugabeandthewhiteafrican.com/index.html

A "fringe" film about a white farmer fighting eviction via a SADC court. Two short clips say enough.

davidbfpo