Zimbabwe: Bob's reigning, blood's pouring, the "Old Man" is snoring

President Mbeki can go some way towards restoring his legacy if he finally reaches the conclussion that Africa and the rest of the world arrived at weeks ago -– namely that there is only one result that is generally acceptable and that is the replacement of the current Zimbabwean president and parliament with the one duly elected by the people of Zimbabwe.

Since my last article a week ago, we have seen human rights groups and observers confirming an upsurge in the violence to the extent that some are saying that it would be impossible to hold a run-off at this time.

This violence, in the overwhelming majority of cases, stems from the military and those loyal to Mugabe. Leaving aside the fact that the opposition does not have the arms, it would not be in their interest to start a civil war at this point in time.

Opposition leaders are being killed and tortured while their supporters are intimidated or driven into exile. In addition there are reports of 40 000 farmworkers being displaced as well as the editors of a newspaper and trade union leaders being arrested –- all because they dared to criticize this abominable government.

If President Mbeki wishes to undo a lot of the harm that his policies on Zimbabwe have occasioned then he must return with a proposal from Mugabe regarding his exit–strategy. This must waive any rights to a run–off, recounts or any other delaying tactics.

Zimbabwe can’t afford a run–off financially and every day that passes makes the humanitarian disaster worse. Why is it that everyone else can see this but us?

Mugabe and the Zanu–PF have been criticized by the African Union and the Pan African Parliament for the way in which the election was conducted, as well as the government and president’s refusal to accept the wishes of their people.

In the AU and PAP calls for independent observers, an end to intimidation and the need for parties to accept their voter’s decisions, we see confirmation from African leaders that Mugabe and the Zanu–PF have failed their people. If you get an opportunity, read their reports and translate their reccommendations for the future as confirmation of what Mugabe has failed to do during this election.

Abroad, the calls are coming thicker and faster for intervention as countries start to comprehend the scale of this disaster. In one regard the election has been beneficial in highlighting the plight of Zimbaweans. Even the New York Times carried an editorial on the situation which showed far deeper insight than we are used to seeing from American newspapers regarding African issues.

Whatever happens, I believe that Mugabe and the Zanu–PF will battle to steal this election. There are too many tangible factors which prevent this :

The economy is spent leaving no room to negotiate. If aid does not reach these people soon the death toll is going to start climbing exponentially. Up to now Mugabe has been happy to let all the neighboring states babysit the millions of exiles who refuse to live in that hellhole. That will start to become a problem for those governments with the world economic crisis starting to bite. The food crisis alone will put pressure on states to send the exiles home.

Then of course we have the people of Zimbabwe themselves. They are starting to realise that they are going to die anyway so they might as well stand up and be counted. When states start turning more and more back at the borders their desperation will translate itself into violence, with the money required to pay and equip the military to deal with this, fast disappearing.

The world community has already had a security council meeting on Zimbabwe at which unfortunately, South Africa decided to run interference for Mugabe. If however our president fails to return with an exit strategy then these calls will get louder and louder. Whether the MDC decide to stand for the run–off or not Mugabe’s days are numbered.

The world cannot allow Mugabe to continue because the humanitarian disaster is too obvious to conceal. They have to aid Zimbabwe and nobody is prepared to do that while Mugabe is still there.

Mugabe’s only hope of staying in power lies in being the “gangster African leader” described by a Times of London columnist recently –- that is to run the country as nominee for a foreign power such as China. He gets to “rule” while Beijing instructs him on what to do.

Wouldn’t that be ironic? The great liberator ushers in a new dawn of African colonialism. Overseas powers using power–crazy politicians to front the next rape of Africa. Once started in Zimbabwe, it would soon spread like wildfire as world powers vie for control of resources.

Far fetched?

Why were Chinese arms being sent to Zimbabwe? Why were Chinese troops seen in Zimbabwe? Why were Zimbabweans being told they would learn Chinese in schools? Why was China blocking Security Council intervention in Zimbabwe?

Robert Mugabe loves only Robert Mugabe. If he cared one iota for those people he would have stepped back and allowed events to take their course.Instead he is happy to stall the planet and watch his people die while he works out his options. As I see it, a nominee ruler is all that’s left and judging by his conduct, I would bet that selling out his country to China beats Zimbabweans voting him out of power every time he thinks about it.

One of the tragedies, for me, is that the Zanu–PF could have taken so much from this election. All they had to do was step back, appoint a new credible leader and go into opposition. With all the aid that would pour in from around the world, Zimbabwe would soon start its recovery.

They would then have been in a position to challenge the MDC at the next election -– relying on policies, ideas and decent candidates rather than guns and a meglomaniac’s readiness to shoot his own people.

Let’s face it, nobody but an elite handful can enjoy living like this. Even those with jobs can’t earn enough to feed themselves. Why would anyone want to continue killing people who disagree with Mad Bob?

Unfortunately things may well have gone too far and once Zimbabwe is free, the Zanu–PF might disappear from sight faster than the National Party did in South Africa post 1994.

Maybe they can reinvent themselves -– use a new name.

What’s the Shona for “Kortbroek”?