Robert Mugabe stole an election. He did so in plain view of journalists, aid workers, diplomats and heads of state. His brutality before the vote resulted in the deaths of about 100 Zimbabweans, the detention of some 2,000, injury to 10,000 and the displacement of more than 200,000.
Mugabe has resurrected the claims of Louis XIV and Charles I’s divine right to rule: “Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British”, he declared at a rally in Bulawayo. As he made these pronouncements deadly political violence spread across Zimbabwe like a wild fire with more and more people falling victim to its consuming flames.
Robert Mugabe’s inauguration in Harare yesterday, if it was not deadly serious, would go down in history as the most deranged piece of political satire ever.
Did the MDC make the right decision to withdraw from the Run-Off Election? Your Comments,Tell us what you think.
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I was stunned today when I watched Morgan Tsvangirai pull out of the June 27th election. I had not expected this but since then have had a couple of calls from Zimbabwe that made the situation a bit clearer.
You must first understand how big a decision this was for the MDC. We are a Party committed to a democratic outcome of this struggle.
The so-called Transitional Document allegedly authored by Tendai Biti dated the 25th March 2008 requires comment. Of particular significance to me is the part that covers ‘Judicial Transformation’ on page 9. It mentions my name as one of the judges that is perceived to be one of those who will be engaged in the so-called judicial transformation.
“I remain deeply concerned about the crisis in Zimbabwe, where the government of Robert Mugabe last week banned the operations of humanitarian agencies working across the country. The regime’s latest attempt to hold on to power at any cost has already accelerated the suffering of millions of Zimbabwe’s citizens.
It is crucial for the interests of both Zimbabwe and Africa that the upcoming elections are free and fair.
Zimbabweans fought for liberation in order to be able to determine their own future. Great sacrifices were made during the liberation struggle. To live up to the aspirations of those who sacrificed, it is vital that [...]
One would think that for Africans, many having suffered repressive regimes, the Zimbabwe tragedy would be easy to rally around. But Africa seems eerily silent.
How to explain this quizzical indifference? It appears that Africans have been swept again into that familiar frenzy that emerges whenever the spectre of colonialism is raised.
Zimbabwe’s electoral regime contains a number of features that prevent persons from voting or at the very least, increase the risk of preventing persons from voting. In that way the electoral regime plays a crucially negative role in disenfranchising citizens.