zimbabwe - mugabe - the leopard never changes........

dafunk
Apr 1, 2008 at 1:54 AM
9 comments

Robert Mugabe was desperately trying to cling to power last night by blocking the electoral commission from releasing official results and threatening to treat an opposition claim of victory as a coup. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change [MDC] said that what it regards as the overwhelming win by its candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, is "under threat" despite growing support from foreign monitors for its claim of victory. The party also said it had "security concerns" after a police raid on its election offices yesterday. Tsvangirai made no public appearances, apparently out of concern for his safety.

Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, warned Tsvangirai not to declare himself president because that "is called a coup d'etat and we all know how coups are handled". Sources close to the MDC said the party leadership had put out feelers to the military and elements of the ruling Zanu-PF to try to arrange a peaceful transfer of power. - [source - gaurdian] full story at www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/31/zimbabwe1

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Do you not think that with Mugabe's reputation and the whole of the world media, as well as ruling bodies watching every move on this, it would be very foolish indeed for Mugabe to try and oppose what might be (and probably is) a very fair result? Yes, the man is an idiot and is likely to do anything, but if the results are "seen" to be correct and he is out of power by the leading world governments, I think they would all do their utmost to make sure the result would stand. Problem is, we are then dragged into the possiblility of an "African Iraq", which no-one wants. Mugabe, as much as his non-democratic rule looks to be diminishing, is still in a very, very powerful position. I think that a lot of the world leaders wouldn't want to go in for two reasons. One, what have they to gain over it? Its not like there is oil or business investment there is there? Secondly, after SUCH bad press and money spent and lives lost over the Iraq situation, they won't want a repeat.

Mugabe still might just have the last word on this one and that is very, very scary.......

Well the post is a report from the guardian and I have been following the elections for a while now. Mugabe has held power now for about 28 years and I am pretty sure that most of the elections have not been played out by honourable rules and he has employed various vicious tactics to hold on to power in zimbabwe mainly by force. Would the rest of the world intervene, hmm? Russia recently polled some bizarre results which seemed dubiuos and were probably rigged, Pakistan is under the thumb by the ruling elite just like Iraq had been and just like China to a degree. In Iraq the Bath Party dictator was replaced by the American dictator and the civilians are still being killed and the militias are still running the show, it's just that this time they are funded by america because Exxon wants the oil, America did not care about the civil rights and humanitarian issues at all a few decades ago and in fact they supported Sadam Hussein. In my opinion many governments around the world share a common interest and that is to hold on to power, to control, to profit and sadly, abuse that power. The people of zimbabwe live in fear and if any nation was going in to their aid, they would have and should have done so many years ago. As you mentioned yourself, what would they gain though? It's all about the money, not the people.

Couldn't have put it better myself. No-one cares enough about Zimbabwe as it has nothing to offer the rest of the world......so the carnage, the pain and torture continues........

I just found this at the Times on-line which is the latest information I can find right now on the elections : Intensive diplomatic efforts were under way today to secure a face-saving exit for Robert Mugabe after 28 years as President of Zimbabwe. His closest cohorts informed him last night that he had failed to win an outright victory in the country’s weekend presidential poll.

Despite tampering with the results from the countrywide elections, the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission was set to announce that the main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, had taken 48 per cent of the vote, against 42 per cent for the 84-year-old incumbent. The two men would therefore have to face a run-off poll in three weeks' time that Mr Mugabe has no hope of winning. "He considers this to be a huge insult, he is a proud man and needs an exit strategy," said a source close to the talks.

South Africa was leading the behind-the-scenes negotiations centring on a power-sharing deal that would see Mr Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF), which has ruled the country for 28 years, taking a vice-presidential slot. Such a deal would also ensure that Mr Mugabe retained immunity from prosecution for any crimes committed in his authoritarian rule. "It is over for Mugabe. No one is now talking about him staying on, just somehow finding a graceful exit," the source added. But a spokesman for Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) denied that there were any negotiations going on. “I can confirm that there are no talks with Mugabe,” he said.

Observers doubt whether Mr Mugabe received 42 per cent of the vote but say even thebiased electoral commission could not realistically swing any more votes his way. In addition, the veteran politician is aware that he would get trounced in any run-off poll.

full story = www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3658410.ece

A graceful exit? What the hell is THAT about? And to make him vice president? Surely thats just letting him off the hook?

Crikey.....I am not sure that Zimbabwe will know what to do when he HAS gone if they feel they need to keep him there...........

I feel very sorry for the place to be honest........

Jon Snow asked about the viability of the new president ensuring Mugabe stands trial for his crimes and in the report Tsvangirai was really unsure what response to give and seemed fearful of speaking out about that possibility. If he attains power in office and gains some confidence post-election then maybe Mugabe will stand trial. I have no idea why South Africa wants to help Mugabe retain some power, it's all that new world order stuff that gets confusing, after 28 years in office Mugabe will have deep rooted connections regardless of his political record. Those in power align depsite anything that goes on so a new leader like Tsvangirai may well be great for the people of Zimbabwe but the New World Order and such similar associations may not be too keen on him holding office. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes - no one except those behind the scenes - why are they behind the scenes - because they are corrupt

Latest reports have said that Mugabe was prepared to step down in return for an amnesty from prosecution for crimes such as the Matebeleland massacres in the 1980s and other guarantees.

Please NO WAY, he lost the election, he is guilty of many serious crimes and he should just go straight to JAIL where he belongs.

Update on Zimbabwe elections - Robert Mugabe and hardliners in the ruling Zanu-PF party decided yesterday to contest a run-off presidential vote if there is no outright winner from last week's election, raising fears of a bloody fight to the finish by Zimbabwe's president. A week after the presidential election there is still no sign of the official results being released, raising suspicions that the election commission is waiting for political direction on whether the final count should make a run-off necessary.

The MDC said it feared that the campaign would be marked by war veterans and Zanu-PF militias unleashing violence and intimidation against MDC supporters, which was absent before last week's vote but a widespread tactic in previous elections. "I think a second round will be bloody," said Theresa Makone, a newly elected MDC MP. "People will be bludgeoned into submission."

The law requires a run-off within 21 days of the final count being announced but the MDC secretary-general, Tendai Biti, said the ruling party had threatened to use presidential emergency power to extend the period. "Zanu-PF is suggesting they want to change the period of the rerun to 90 days.

Robert Mugabe was accused last night of preparing a war against Zimbabwe's people, in an attempt to overturn the opposition's presidential election victory. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said the government was reviving the war veterans and party militias to bludgeon the opposition into submission and terrorise voters before a run-off ballot. 'Violence will be the new weapon to reverse the people's will,' he said. 'Militants are being prepared. War vets are on the warpath.'

Opposition officials said the party would launch a new court effort today to force the official election commission to publish results, after armed police prevented lawyers from entering court yesterday.

South African President Thabo Mbeki warned the world yesterday not to rush to intervene in Zimbabwe. He insisted the lengthy delay in announcing the results was for checks to be carried out ensuring that there was 'no controversy' over the result. - source - www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/06/zimbabwe2

zimbabwe - mugabe - the leopard never changes........

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