Filed under: Politics | Tags: Diplomacy, Elections, Human Rights, Humanitarian Crisis, Inflation, MDC, Morgan Tsvagirai, Politics, President, Robert Mugabe, Sanctions, Torture, Vote rigging, War, Zanu-PF, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation
Zimbabwe’s political crisis continues to become ever more dire, with heinous political violence, skyrocketing inflation and a seemingly impotent international community. Having South African friends and having known people who had fled Zimbabwe, I have followed the situation closely. When Morgan Tsvangirai clearly beat Robert Mugabe in the Presidential election on March 29, and with MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) faring well in the parliamentary vote, I optimistically, and naively, felt the country may turn for the better, as did many others. Now over 3 months on, that hope is almost entirely extinguished as Mugabe has claimed a landslide victory in an uncontested presidential run off vote and diplomacy is making little headway. Farcical as the charade was, Mugabe appears to feel he has been legitimised and continues to slate the world that conspires against him. Continue reading
Filed under: Politics | Tags: democracy, Elections, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, Politics, President, Robert Mugabe, Violence, Vote rigging, Zanu-PF, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation – Part Two: Democracy: Is there promise in the polls?
Following the first vote in March there was an air of excitement, as interested parties and onlookers envisaged the coming end of an era. Zimbabwe and the world waited in suspense for the results to come, expecting the worst, hoping for the best. Indications showed the MDC had fared well, and Mugabe’s Zanu-PF was looking at electoral defeat. As time dragged on, punters speculated the outcome and the likely consequences: Will Mugabe attempt to stuff the ballots in his favour, or will he negotiate a dignified exit? The MDC even engaged in dialogue with the military and some Zanu-PF members of parliament. The Zimbabwean electoral commission took an age to release results, first confirming MDC success in the parliamentary polls, before declaring that no candidate had reached the necessary majority of votes in the presidential election. In keeping with Zimbabwean Electoral Law, a run off vote would have to be taken, between Tsvangirai, who received 49 per cent of the votes, and Mugabe, who received only 41 per cent. Continue reading
Filed under: Politics | Tags: African Union, Botswana, Britain, China, Commonwealth, Diplomacy, Kenya, Morgan Tsvangirai, Power sharing, Robert Mugabe, Russia, United Nations, United States, Unity Government, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation – Part Three: Diplomacy: Can’t we just talk about it?
Behind the scenes, whilst condemnations are conveyed, grand speeches made and newspaper columns are scribed, negotiations are taking place to try find a solution to the Zimbabwe problem. The international community, led mainly by Britain and the commonwealth, Europe and the United States, are attempting to pressure Mugabe’s regime into submission, and criticised China and Russia for not supporting moves against Mugabe. Within Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Zambia have been the most vocal against Mugabe, and are eager to get other African countries to oppose the regime more openly. The African Union, and in particular South Africa, are trying to negotiate with Mugabe and mediate between the two parties. These talks have not been without their critics. South Africa has been at the thick of both the diplomacy, and the criticism. Continue reading
Filed under: Politics | Tags: African Union, Britain, Burkino Faso, China, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia, Morgan Tsvangirai, Robert Mugabe, Russia, Sanctions, South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, United Nations, United States, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation – Part Four: Sanctions: Can we starve this disease?
Attempts to bring sanctions in against the Mugabe regime failed recently at the United Nations, with Russia and China using their Security Council vetoes, claiming the situation in Zimbabwe did not threaten international stability. South Africa also opposed the motion saying the sanctions would interfere with their attempts to bring about a national unity government. South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki also claimed the sanctions could provoke a civil war. Burkina Faso’s ambassador, Michel Kafando, who voted for the motion said, “As a means of exerting pressure, it could help”. Both Britain and the United States, who put forward the motion, were disappointed China followed Russia’s move to veto the sanctions, with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband saying “it will appear incomprehensible to the people of Zimbabwe”. Continue reading
Filed under: Politics | Tags: Botswana, Britain, Human Rights, Humanitarian Crisis, Invasion, Iraq, Kenya, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, Nick Clegg, Pius Ncube, Raila Odinga, Robert Mugabe, United States, War, Zanu-PF, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation – Part Five: Invasion: Time to send in the troops?
Is it time to resort to military action? If it is apparent that diplomacy is doomed to fail and lives are being lost through politically and racially motivated attacks, how long can the international community insist dialogue while people are dying? Does it become morally necessary to overthrow the regime through force?
The case has been made by some. Citing humanitarian reasons, the head of Zimbabwe’s one million Catholics Pius Ncube said in 2007:
“I think it is justified for Britain to raid Zimbabwe and remove Mugabe.
“We should do it ourselves but there’s too much fear. I’m ready to lead the people, guns blazing, but the people are not ready”. Continue reading
Filed under: History, Politics | Tags: Edward Chikombo, History, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, Nelsen Mandela, Nelson Chamisa, Politician, Politics, President, Rhodesia, Robert Mugabe, South Africa, Torture, Zanu-PF, Zimbabwe
Death of a nation – Part Six: Alternative: Who is Morgan Tsvangirai?
There is a consensus, at least in the West, that Mugabe is a pretty bad man, to apply a typical Kiwi understatement. But who is the man most would have replace him? Who is Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the MDC, who decimated Mugabe in the polls, all those weeks ago? Continue reading
Filed under: Journalism, Politics | Tags: 2010 World Cup, Africa, Bad news, Crime, Epidemics, First National Bank, Football, Good news, Journalism, Mail and Guardian, Media, Morgan Tsvangirai, Poverty, Refugees, Robert Mugabe, South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, Unemployment, Zimbabwe
Every news site has a headline that reads of another atrocity. Every hour on the radio brings another depressing report. Every page of the newspaper bears another story of anguish. The television’s six o’clock bulletin blares pain and suffering from the speakers. Is reality bringing you down? Are you sick about hearing what is wrong in the world? Do you feel as though the negative gets too much coverage? Do you long for good news instead of bad?
Here’s the ‘good news‘! Continue reading
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