Zimbabwe

With recent events the people seem to have become emboldened and may well keep the new leader under control. I think it is best to wait and see however.

Mugabe realised the country is suffering - has that ever bothered him before?

Mugabe the Monster has created a situation where far too many people have no idea of what the country was like before he ruined it or of the possibilities in the future. Given the right leadership it could once again become the bread basket of southern Africa.

Morgan Tsvangirai won the election that Mugabe would not accept. He did offer some hope but is in no position now to change what is seen as a shoe-in by Mugabe's deputy. That will almost certainly lead to a continuation of all the bad things under Mugabe.

He is evidently a bitter and dangerous individual - however it all depends on whose opinion you read. As ever we will have to wait and see.

Think I agree with maryeliza54 in that much depends on how democratically the elections are carried out next year if, indeed, they are carried out at all. I'm trying so hard to be optimistic.........

Not sure about 5his man as he was in the deputy president anyway. He knew what was going on. Hope the army keeps an eye on him.

Below is a copy of an interesting post received on Facebook:

Mugabe orchestrated the entire coup. I'll elaborate:
Robert Mugabe is 93 next year. He realised the country is suffering and likelyhood of re-election is slim. He knows by stepping down it's going to mean... repercussions. Zanu-PF cannot win another election next year because of the party squabbles and as people are suffering because of the economy.
Plan begins. Robert Mugabe fires his right hand and most trusted lieutenant Emmerson Mnangagwa.....everyone is surprised and shocked thinking Grace has forced Robert Mugabe’s hand.
Mnangagwa just manages to 'escape'. Makes it look so easy.....
General Chiwenga begins military take over in rebuke to firing of Mnangagwa.
Country so eager for change they fall in line with hope of a good future. They see Mnangagwa and the military as their saviors, these are the people who will save Zimbabwe and turn it around. Bringing a new future.
It doesn't matter the history now, it just matters than Robert Mugabe is out and someone else is in. Suddenly now the entire country supports Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF again. The country falls in line and the looting continues. Zanu-PF is in control. Grace and Robert Mugabe leave without consequence and are guaranteed safe passage.
Why not just vote for a new president? Because that does not guarantee Zanu-PF continued rule - they can very well lose. This way Zanu-PF is chosen by the people because there is no alternative - only Mugabe again.
Three more years of transitional Zanu-PF rule and Mugabe is away and free with billions. Mnangagwa and Chiwenga continue looting. That's why Bob is laughing in the pictures of 'talks' - because they're his buddies and they're just enjoying tea discussing the next big scheme.

I am an 'ex Rhodesian' and have to say, very wary of what the future holds for the people of my beautiful country.

Whatever happens, I expect it will all be Putin's fault or Trump's. In reality, it will be just more of the same.

I think the Chinese were behind it - several people have suggested it. They seem to be getting involved in the sort of "soft power" that used to do so well.
I can only hope that they will change their Constitution so that no serving President can extend his term beyond 10 years. That might help. There is a whole new generation of well educated Zimbabweans growing up now, travelling, studying and living outside of Africa and are more than ready to take on the "tribal elders" and put them back in their box. Bring it on.

Lionpops
In the 1980's I made friends in the UK with a family who were born in what was then Rhodesia under Smith.
They felt they had no option but to get out but sadly left behind many friends These friends had farms and loyal Rhodesians working for them.They had also provided these workers with their own homes.They feared for them as they could only foresee that country would never be the same under Mugabe. How right they were.

I hope you are right M0nica

I feel apprehensive about the future of Zimbabwe.

Some of our friends and our wider family are no longer there, but relatives of friends are still in the country and have suffered from the scarcity of food and in particular medicine.

We will know if things are going to change if the new leader releases political prisoners, judges, lawyers, reporters and so on.
I wish them well but won't hold my breath.
He will probably have elections but with the army on his side they are unlikely to be free and fair.

I lived there for eight years. Nothing will change.
Power corrupts. I wish they had taken the Mugabes money and used it in the hospitals.

The army generals are in cahoots with China so maybe they are the real puppet masters in all this. I don't think western democracy will ever fit Africa or many other countries either.

I agree with your hope MOnica!

Most posters seem to agree with my take on things. So, DSil will have me to deal with should he think of following any of his family who might be rash enough to go 'home'.

I hope they are all sensible enough to wait and see what happens.

The new President was once an insider, pigging it in the same trough as the Mugabes. He has a very unsavoury reputation for being responsible for all kinds of atrocities. He only looks a saviour because he overthrew Mugabe after he ceased to be in the golden circle. There is no reason, in principle, why his Presidency should not just be more of the same.

There is also the danger that the army having interfered in politics once, with such success, may do it again, so you get an army run state with a civilian government wallpapered on the front it to hide it.

On the plus side has been the demonstrations and widely expressed hopes of Zimbaweans. If the new president or army do try the more of the same game, they could rise again.

My hope is that the open expressions of Zimbabwean's hopes for a democratic government and the demonstrations of the visceral hate of Mugabe shown over the past week will give the new government and the army pause for thought and that some level of proper democracy will ensue

Few things could be worse than having Mugabe in charge.
He has wrecked that lovely country.

And they have the guns

Exactly.

At the moment, the army.

I wish I were so confident - you have read up on the new president haven’t you? He’s implicated in the corruption and the killings and is only in power now because the army back him for the moment- that’s not very reassuring is it? Who exactly is in charge?

It may not be perfect but don’t think there will be another dictatorship there anytime soon.

Well - we’ll see. There’ll be no meaningful election without a meaningful opposition.

I am very wary about this new regime, glad that Mugabe has finally gone but concerned the new leader may have similar ideas, I hope I am proved wrong.