Zimbabwe: Has Mugabe's Twisted Mind Changed?
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The New Times (Kigali)
OPINION
25 September 2008
Posted to the web 25 September 2008
Gloria Anyango
Kigali
Last week, in Harare, Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe signed an agreement in which, formally at least, he offered to share power with his opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, who became Prime Minister designate.
"My belief in Zimbabwe and its people runs deeper than the scars I bear from the struggle," Tsvangirai declared, during the deal signing ceremony.
In other times, his sound bite might have resonated. Instead, it was a mere footnote to the history being written in the dealing rooms and executive suites of Wall Street and in the conclaves of Washington as the global financial crisis trampled the world's markets.
That, it sometimes seems, is Africa's curse. However much lip-service is paid to its needs - so basic and so urgent - when the crunch comes, the priorities move closer to home, to pocket books and mortgage repayments, pensions and stock portfolios.
As he signed the agreement, Mugabe seemed in a curmudgeonly mood, revisiting his complaints on purported Western interference in the affairs of his land, bemoaning the desire of African political opposition "to want to be the ruling party" - as if political opposition anywhere had a different agenda in the rotation of power that forms the bedrock of democracy.
Signing the power-sharing agreement, Mugabe referred to some of those same nations once again to describe their role in bringing about the deal with Tsvangirai.
This time, he thanked them for their help in a rambling address that provided as much a psychological glimpse into the soul of a tyrant at bay as a statement of political intent.
Indeed the two seemed to fuse a man who still saw the world in much the same terms as he did when he took power in 1980.
"The problem we have had is a problem that has been created by the former colonial power. Why, why, why the hand of the British? Why, why, why the hand of the Americans here? Let us ask that," Mugabe said.
I wonder if Zimbabwe's power- sharing agreement is real or whether Mugabe's state of mind is still the same as it was in 1980.
In this line of thought, I wonder what Mugabe has in store for Zimbabweans. What becomes of the fallen economy? Will his power sharing deal with Tsvangirai get rid of the sky-rocketing inflation and the wheel burrows of money that people push? Or defuse his militia?
How about all the victims families who were caught at the frontline of that election battle? Does the deal erase all the visual images that are still imprinted in their fragile, traumatised minds? I doubt!
Without forgetting the Zimbabwean migrants who lost their lives in the heat of the xenophobia in South Africa; obviously a bit of hatred was born between these two neighbours. It's still being nursed. An already shaky bond was broken.
In any war, a number of tactics are deployed, their success depending on the level of trickery and skill involved. Just like in the epic movie '300', millions were overcome by a few 300 tactical gladiators. It's not in the might and the numbers, but in the skilful trickery of the regiment.
"The best way to get rid of your enemy is make him your friend."- A proverb.
If Tsvangirai admitted that he still has incurred in the struggle. What makes him think the tyrant Mugabe will not dig deep into those scars and rip them open?
As reports of political violence resurface, caused by Mugabe's militia who share a similar fame to the notorious genocidal Interahamwe.
Or maybe the real foe is in the enemy camp- I mean Tsvangirai in Mugabe's camp. He knows what he wants, what he is doing, why he is shaking hands with the devil and how he got in there. Or does he?
Then there are the laws that protect the likes of Tsvangirai. Maybe the international bodies like the UN, EU and AU have their eyes on Zimbabwe. Then what?
Mugabe has defied them before as he becomes more sanctions resistant. They shot fiery darts at him but the tyrant plucked them out without bleeding. He thought he had won, little did he know that the poison had coursed its way through his veins. Then followed the collapse of the economy and the dissolution of his people's human rights.
Alas, Bob Marley's dream of a free Zimbabwe and a united Africa becomes a faded memory though not forgotten. It could be revived, you know
Relevant Links
Maybe Mugabe's attitude has changed, but then you can't really tell. One day he batters and makes Tsvangirai prisoner, releases him and then kills his supporters and makes himself the winner of unfair elections and now they are sharing power? Mark you all this is done while the whole world is watching!
Read comments. Write your own.
Aka, are you blind as well as stupid? No where in the article does the author refer to Mugabe as a dictator.
And besides why should one show respect to a "president" that doesnt respect his own people?
You talk of Rwanda, now how can Mugabe be president when Tsvanagarai has a greater percentage of the votes. (47-43)?
Oh, dumbarse, have you figured out that there were more than 2 countries in the first and second world war yet?
Aka, forget about awt, World wars comparing that to Zimbabwe!!! Outer rubbish in the first degree!
Exactly! Utter Rubbish! Just asking Akafunboy if his stance that there were only 2 countries fighting in both world wars still stands.He thinks the name should be changed from "World War" to "England Germany" War. Dumbarse.
First l am not a boy in any sense, that includes your referring to all African males as "boys". To use litotes, l find your persistent use of "boy" extremely insulting. Maybe its true .. one can take a rhodie out of rhodesia but cannot take the rhodiesia out of him. Yeah you are failing to escape from the brain washing you went through as in your childhood ... Actually the the 1914 war was called the first word war till around 1949. It was always referred to as "the great war" before 1949. Both the 1914 and the… [Read Full Text]
This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
Showing respect to the office of the presidency is world away from showing respect to a murderer clinging to illegitimate power. Aka47 is as much a murderer when he confuses between an institution and a vile person who has confiscated that institution.
Mugabe deserves to be dragged to court to answer a charge of high treason for the confiscation of power.
Mbeki renounced power for a less minor violation of a basic principle. If Mugabe is where he is, it is because civil society activists still hope they can boot him out of power through democratic means. When that hope… [Read Full Text]
First, ask your MDC to get out of the Unity Gvt and do their own thing.. whatever. Secondly, go start your guerrella war right away. l bet you wont take part. You will remain miles away from action. Cowards call the loudest "there is gonna be a fight". l am beginning to see where you are coming from. You want a war. Not likely.
Akapfunde, were you dropped on your head the day you were born? Either your comprehension of topics is deficient or Mugabe's brain-washing has really left you so stunted that you just produce nonsense.
|
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright © 2008 The New Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Make allAfrica.com your home page
|
RSS Feed
Sign up for FREE daily 'top headlines' by email >> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | My Account | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Really!!! How dare you call our president a 'dictator'??? Do you realise that His excellency, Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the current Head of State for Gt Zimbabwe. Show respect for the office of the presidency ... whether you agree with holders or not on one or so points. I am not a member of MDC but l show respect to our designate PRIME MINISTER Morgan Tsvangirai. He is my national leader. By the way, you come from Kigali where a minority Tutsi exercise power which is way beyond their numbers ... in both Rwanda and Burundi. How can 5% of… [Read Full Text]