Mugabe

[ian16th]

Grace to face the music!

[Capetonian]

It's a firing squad she should be facing.

[Bob]

The words of such people arent worth the electrons they are written on

[A Lutra Continua]

...certainly deligitmise the next regime in the eyes of many in Zimabawe and elsewhere in the world...

Your assumption here being the next regime would be better in any way at all than what this one is, ie, the next bloke in line isn't pulling Bob's strings and having his own twiddled by a cabal of generals and other manipulators?

[A Lutra Continua]

...The United States has so far remained on the sidelines. At a time when America’s global reputation is in serious jeopardy, the upheaval in Zimbabwe offers a low-cost and timely opportunity to stand firm on democratic values and demand that basic principles of human rights be respected. On Friday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for “a quick return to civilian rule” and asserted that “Zimbabwe has an opportunity to set itself on a new path, one that must include democratic elections and respect for human rights.” This rhetoric is a good start, but it must be reinforced through action.

Zimbabweans often bristle at any perceived foreign meddling in their affairs, and rightfully so. But their country will need external support, both in the short and long run, to prosper. At a minimum, the United States could back democratic forces by strategically countering the apparent support for Mnangagwa from South Africa and Britain. Washington would do well, on the other hand, to advocate for a genuinely representative political transition and a timely path to credible elections, as it did in Liberia after its civil war and after Mali’s 2012 coup. American assistance, including much-needed diplomatic pressure and principled engagement, can expedite electoral changes and raise the odds that Zimbabwe’s new leadership will reflect the will of the people, which is long overdue.

The United States will be even more relevant for Zimbabwe’s economic revival. Over half of Zimbabwe’s rural population relies on outside food assistance, a stunning statistic for a country that was once a net food exporter. The average Zimbabwean is poorer today than in 1980; by some estimates, unemployment is at 95 percent. The country is desperate for cash to jumpstart its once productive farms and factories. Although Mnangagwa and his political allies have long-standing ties to China, the road to recovery inevitably runs through Washington—the country is more than $9 billion in debt to western institutions, including the World Bank. A bailout plan proposed two years ago received British backing, but the United States blocked any financial support to the abusive Mugabe regime. The Americans will now need to be convinced that commitment to reform is real before agreeing to any restructuring or new loans to Zimbabwe. Importantly, too, Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are still under U.S. Treasury sanctions due to their involvement in widespread human rights abuses...

But... but... but... That would mean American involvement and we've been told by the Enlightened Ones what a Bad Thing that is.

[Cacophonix]

Well better the Americans than the Chinese or the Russians who are also vying to mop up the platinum and all the other goodies going to waste in Zimbabwe.

Perhaps you think the South Africans can add some value in Zimbabwe? I guess that would be like the blind leading the blind.

Caco

[ian16th]

Perhaps you think the South Africans can add some value in Zimbabwe? I guess that would be like the blind leading the blind.

Caco

Add some value?

They'd only be interested if they could extract some value.

[A Lutra Continua]

...Perhaps you think the South Africans can add some value in Zimbabwe? I guess that would be like the blind leading the blind.

Caco

The current mob? They can't even be trusted to sit the right way round on the dump machine.

[Bob]

Seems like the Coup that wasn't a coup has become a bit of a farce.
The ZPF butchers are still in control and likely will remain so....no change

[Cacophonix]

Seems like the Coup that wasn't a coup has become a bit of a farce.
The ZPF butchers are still in control and likely will remain so....no change

Different face, same bastards sadly.

Caco

[ian16th]

Mugabe Resigns again..............

Don't shoot the messenger if its wrong!

[Capetonian]

Mugape, now officially the ex-president of Zimbabwe.

[Cacophonix]

If only the Trump impeachment threat and resignation process could be as quick!

When that occurs I will toyi-toyi naked down the main road!

Caco

[BenThere]

Keep dreaming, Caco. You're more likely to be frog-marched down the main road by a triumphant Muslim.

[Cacophonix]

Keep dreaming, Caco. You're more likely to be frog-marched down the main road by a triumphant Muslim.

That'll be the owner of the village Kebab shop then if I don't pay for a Kebab and chips on a Saturday night!

Caco

[FD2]

Buga me, Mugabe has gone! Let's hope Mnangagwa doesn't live up to his reputation and make things worse. He has a repution for extreme violence in the past. Grace also looks like a choice piece of work - maybe Mnangagwa could use some violence on her like she did with her son's girlfriend. It would be good if the Western powers could show some leadership here but I won't hold my breath with Trump and May and the EU cronies, who will just endorse anyone who is not called Mugabe.

[FD2]

Full of good intentions, I was very impressed when Gordon Brown the new UK Chancellor at the time, stated that in future any overseas aid from the UK would be subject to scrupulous audit and there would be Treasury officials in the various countries to ensure fair play so that the money went where it was supposed to.

He was immediately subjected to abuse from some African leaders who accused him of colonial and racist attitudes - what could be worse for a Labour politician? - and it was promptly back to the status quo for those various despots to continue looting their countries' wealth as usual.

[A Lutra Continua]

Yup. Reality comes as a bit of a shock to those who view things through rose tinted glasses from afar. Not like it wasn't pointed out in which direction things would go either.

Too late to fix anything now without stripping it all down to the bone, cleaning out the muck and rebuilding from scratch under new and responsible management. That's a long winded way of saying it's fooked and will remain so eternally.

[ian16th]

The Purge Has Commenced.

[Sisemen]

It’s Matabele vs Shona. Always has been, always will be. There was a temporary halt under colonial rule and the country prospered. Don’t expect anything other that a continuation of the backward slide that has been underway since 1980.