Worldwide Elections 2008 #4 - Zimbabwe

I'm somewhat of two minds myself about this (only not really); I agree with you on the independence angle, and a regime change imposed from outside would likley be a stop gap measure at best, however appealing it may appear in the short term.

Any lasting solution must come from within Zimbabwe, although a poke with a sharp stick from SA or the AU as an incentive wouldn't go amiss. Once it happens, support will be abundant, and justified. I want Mugabe removed, but the Zimbawean people must take ownership of that process, a failure there (or foreign intervention) is likely to simply store up trouble for the future, and the risk of political recidivism.

African politics is at once fascinating, infuriating, capricious and predictable and too often depressing - but to me at least, never boring. The short term thinking of post colonial administrations (and their leaders) is a common theme throughout Africa. There are exceptions of course, but they're political equivalent of hen's teeth.

The reasons for this (some of which I touched on already), generally run along broadly defined and predictable paths. While I don't sympathise with many of the more dubious actions taken by leaders of many African nations, I can understand the factors and practical necessities that led to many of them. Aside from human factors, others - primarily environmental and geographic have also precipitated many disastous events.

Finally, I (or rather CNN I believe) was somewhat premature in announcing Levy's death; shortly after posting the link I received an SMS from Zed informing me that he was in fact still drawing breath. I meant to correct this sooner.

New inflation figures were announced recently, estimated official annual % rate is now 2.2 Million and 1 US$ will (as I write this) buy over 100 Billion Zim Dollars on the street. The last time I read about figures like that was in respect of Germany between the wars - where the rate was (if I recall correctly) at one time around 1 Trillion marks to 1 US$.

In the face of such financial insanity it's hard to grasp such things as buying food or clothing when a newspaper costs $10 Billion and farm workers 'earn' around 30 million, factory workers around 300 million - basically a few cents per month. These are the last figures I have.

This photo brings back some memories ...

Mugabe out of Monopoly money

In an ironic twist, the company supplying paper for printing banknotes pulled out of its relationship with Zimbabwe and paper on which to print bills has all but be exhausted. Fidelity has cut back on production by two thirds. This means very soon, once supplies finally run out - the army and those propping Mugabe up may not get paid. It will be 'interesting' to see how loyal they turn out to be when/if that happens.

I can't fathom 2,200,000% inflation! That's over 6,000% PER DAY. I simply can't get a mental grip on that.

Unfortunately, I foresee Mugabe staying in power for a while longer, maybe years. He runs a rather tight police state. I read that he and his minions studied methods used by N. Korea and USSR to refine what works and what doesn't. I'm confident he and his thugs can keep the people scared of them.. They know what works.

I'm not of two minds about it. I've posted here before about the Mugabe regime and imo despotism is despotism whether it is inflicted upon a people under the guise of "independence" or not.

Of what value or benefit is liberation from "colonial influence" if your "liberator" engages in genocide and terror against his own people?

And the Q of E just recently got around to stripping him of his "knighthood"? Gee, you think??

Too fucking little...too late.