Stick to your guns, Mr Tsvangirai, for the sake of Zimbabwe and Africa

If ever a country and a continent needed one man to display superhuman courage and fortitude, then that country is Zimbabwe and that man is Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. Victory in Zimbabwe’s presidential election, undiluted by side-deals and concessions to Mugabe, will signal to other African tyrants that the will of the people, regardless of their efforts, shall prevail.

In context, we are asking a man who has been the victim of numerous assassination attempts, arrests and torture to stand his ground against a despot and a party, undoubtedly the cause of the same, in order to ensure that his country can begin the long road to recovery, without closing the door to retribution against those who have committed crimes against humanity.

Economic recovery in a Zimbabwe unshackled by the strictures of deals done with the ruling party will proceed far quicker and with greater credibility than any alternative that requires compromises with the spoilers and criminals of the present regime.

Hyperinflation, starvation and the death of thousands of Zimbabweans are directly attributable to Zanu-PF and, inter alia, its insane economic policies. Indeed, victory in the elections would mark the next phase of Zimbabwe’s financial suicide — the insistence that locals be the majority shareholders of companies. Exit investors and investment stage left.

Foreign aid and investment will pour into a Zimbabwe where political stability, law and order and a free press are introduced. It will not, however, be as forthcoming if the spoilers have not left the building — a glass ceiling of aid aimed at ensuring survival will greet the continued presence of Mugabe and his bloodsuckers.

In terms of Africa, the prosecution of Mugabe and his party for crimes against humanity will serve as a warning to other leaders who wish to turn their country into an elite playground, bullying and murdering those they deemed undesirable, that this is not open-ended. When the party is over, the accountability will begin — and it does not involve payoffs and exile; it involves jail time or, where the sentence is in operation, capital punishment.

Africa needs to police itself and ensure that the planet is made aware that tyranny will no longer be tolerated by the continent, that political stability will be maintained and that investment here is worthwhile; in essence, that entire regions will no longer be destabilised by warmongers and bullies.

In this regard I have to apologise to our friends in Zimbabwe for South Africa’s conduct in all of this. The diabolical policy of quiet diplomacy, followed by the current lack of diplomacy during the wait-and-see results period, is absolutely unforgivable.

Worse for me is that there are almost five million exiles witnessing our government’s horrific ineptitude while their countrymen and -women are abused and killed.

In the face of Mugabe calling for a recount of results that have not been released, which follows the decision to participate in a run-off election, also without the results being announced, South Africa has confirmed that it will first wait and see what the outcome is.

Which results would those be? The results of the voting or whatever Mugabe and his cronies decide they should be?

Why isn’t South Africa, as one of Africa’s leaders, assisting the continent and the planet in carrying through calls to see the end of Mugabe? He has patently lost the election despite rigging everything from voters’ rolls to the structure of constituencies. This election is to free and fair what Ivan the Terrible was to ballet.

Incredibly, although it is South Africa and the entire Southern African region that stand to benefit the most from a truly democratic and peaceful Zimbabwe, it is these very countries that have enabled the continued murder and pillage by Mugabe and members of Zanu-PF. Without their support and/or refusal to intervene, Mugabe could never have continued in office this long.

Unfortunately any and all calls to end this support have fallen on deaf ears. It will now take a great man, with enormous courage, to withstand the tyranny of his own countrymen and the infamy of his fellow African leaders, to put Zimbabwe on the road to recovery and prosperity.

Be that man, Mr Tsvangirai.