Much of Zimbabwe and the rest of the world believe that the future of Zimbabwe after the upcoming elections will be determined by which political party gains a simple majority once election ballots have been counted. It is widely understood the current ZANU (PF) and MDC power sharing of the government has not been successful and that the Mugabe lead ZANU (PF) needs to be defeated and needs to step aside in order for the country to start mending the economic and social issues that have arisen there in the 21st century.
For this blog assignment you are required to compare Robert Mugabe with Morgan Tsvangirai to determine which political party and its leader are best suited to lead Zimbabwe after 2013. Don’t just assume that Mugabe is the tyrant that most consider him to be. You need to conduct research and then write about the leadership records of both Mugabe and Tsvangirai to correctly determine who might be most successful as a president going forward. You might find it useful to read about what Africans and others have said about the potential leadership qualities that Tsvangirai possesses. After writing about Mugabe and Tsvangirai you can also consider a third option for Zimbabwe. Should you choose a third option, it would need to be well researched and written using support from your research. This assignment needs to be completed and posted by Tuesday March 12th.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Zimbabwe Assignment
Much of Zimbabwe and the rest of the world believe that the future of Zimbabwe after the upcoming elections will be determined by which political party gains a simple majority once election ballots have been counted. It is widely understood the current ZANU (PF) and MDC power sharing of the government has not been successful and that the Mugabe lead ZANU (PF) needs to be defeated and needs to step aside in order for the country to start mending the economic and social issues that have arisen there in the 21st century.
For this blog assignment you are required to compare Robert Mugabe with Morgan Tsvangirai to determine which political party and its leader are best suited to lead Zimbabwe after 2013. Don’t just assume that Mugabe is the tyrant that most consider him to be. You need to conduct research and then write about the leadership records of both Mugabe and Tsvangirai to correctly determine who might be most successful as a president going forward. You might find it useful to read about what Africans and others have said about the potential leadership qualities that Tsvangirai possesses. After writing about Mugabe and Tsvangirai you can also consider a third option for Zimbabwe. Should you choose a third option, it would need to be well researched and written using support from your research. This assignment needs to be completed and posted by Tuesday March 12th.
Zimbabwe is in the middle of a political tug-of-war between the dictator Robert Mugabe and the prime minister (hopeful president) Morgan Tsvangirai. In their own ways, both candidates bring something different to the table politically: Tsvangirai brings a hope for change and Mugabe brings a fear of violence.
ReplyDeleteThroughout his political career Morgan Tsvangirai has faced the violence of Mugabe directed towards any opposition. Originally Tsvangirai entered his political career as a member of the Zanu PF, however as Tsvangirai grew as a politician he advanced his own movement called the MDC. Tsvangirai brings a bright possibility to those of Zimbabwe if he were to be elected as president. However, there have been many occasions where he has been labeled as a "village politician," a political leader who in many different aspects lacks essential leadership qualities needed on the national level. Mugabe and his clan, when not physically attacking Tsvangirai and his followers are constantly mocking his lack of education stating that he is too uneducated to lead a country.
There are some very questionable characteristics and traits that Tsvangirai posses that could potentially pose problems for Zimbabwe. For example, a quoting from BBC stated "despite his image as a freedom-fighter, some of Mr. Tsvangirai's closest allies have accused him of behaving like a dictator on occasion." This highlights the major question of whether or not Tsvangirai will be just another Robert Mugabe. On occasion sources have also stated that he is a well-intentioned but bumbling tactician.
Robert Mugabe, in comparison, is an opportunist who has an entire nation transfixed with fear. Simply put, Mugabe has combined different elements of leadership as a way to further advance his power making him a true threat to the well being of Zimbabwe for years to come. This principle manipulator has the qualities of stamina, mental acuity, attention to details, charm, and an uncanny instinct for the exercise of power, ultimately resulting in his three decade long rule. Robert Mugabe lacks the principles of justice and unconditional respect for humanity. He refuses to be honest about his intentions and plans and refuses to admit responsibility for his wrong doings. Instead of taking the interests of the people of Zimbabwe into account he drives the entire nation apart through the usage of political, racial, and cultural propaganda.
All this being said, I believe that Zimbabwe is in dire need for a change. The most realistic opportunity for change is in the hands of Morgan Tsvangirai. He may be uneducated but through his brave and consistent actions he has proved himself to be a smart politician. What Zimbabwe needs right now is a leader who will essentially focus on damage control, attempt to repair all of the destruction that Mugabe has wrought on Zimbabwe. Even though Tsvangirai may not be the best leader, he is the only leader who is capable to step up and pick up the pieces of such a broken country.
WIth the presidential race, Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai views are very different. Even though Mugabe is more on the dictator side some of his views could work in a way if they were lighten up. Tsvangirai, on the other hand, tries to listen to the community. He is seen representing the younger community and the work force community.
ReplyDeleteMugabe views majorly favor the black africans. He is all about trying to get the blacks their land back. But the way he does it is in a very violent and chaotic manor. I agree with him that the white africans should not be just taking things that is not theres, but if they bought it than it is there's and the black african should not be going around protesting and violently trying to get their land back. There are peaceful options for everyone. Not everything has to be a fight; that is where Mugabe would not be a good president.
On the other hand, Tsvangirai may be to nice with the way he rules. He tries to hear everyone and please everyone, but that could also lead to a chaotic country with lack of organization.
There is an in between that could potentially be a great president, but getting the country to support that and get everyone on the same views would be a challenge. A president that is demanding but reasonable would benefit South Africa greatly.
There is no perfect person, there is no perfect leader. In Zimabawe, neither of the presidential candidates are perfect, but it is clear that one is better than the other, and that person is Morgan Tsvangirai. It is clear that there is a need for change in Zimbabwe and it needs to happen in this election. To quote http://www.guardian.co.uk: "I've heard people saying MDC is just not doing work in the constituencies and is spending too much time in the palace," Booysen added. "They're taking for granted they're the crown princes. They are not capturing the desire for change. And there is still a desire for change among people." People are getting sick and tired of Mugabe and are willing to put up with the charges Morgan Tsvangirai because they want a change. Morgan Tsvangirai has charges of Bigomy and disregarding the president, but that is nothing compared to the charges that Mugabe has against him.
ReplyDeleteJust this past year, Mugabe was accused of spending $600,000 of public funds on a birthday party for himself. This just pants part of the picture of the type of man that he is.
Mugabe has been a tyrant for too long, and Zimbabwe is in need for a change.
With issues like hyperinflation, widespread unemployment/underemployment, rampant poverty, and a stagnate economy, Zimbabwe is clearly in a desperate state. The current leader of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has driven Zimbabwe into a state of despair. Mugabe has seemingly ridden his fame achieved during independence and used an anti-colonial platform his entire time as leader. Recently, a new politician, Morgan Tsvangirai has gained popularity. Tsvangirai formed the Movement for Democratic Change and runs on a more “open” platform where citizens’ input is valued. There is a great debate in Zimbabwe as to who is a more capable leader, but as we will find, there is no clear answer.
ReplyDeleteZimbabwe was once referred to as “the bread-basket” of Africa, but after years of despotic reign it is clear that Mugabe is not fit to run the country. One of the most capital issues in Zimbabwe that seemingly effects other parts of the country is the lousy economic performance. Poor economic policy and absent economic reform have undeniably lead to the slow economy. For instance, the lack of currency control that has lead to hyperinflation is a prime example of a lack of efficient management. Moreover, the lack of labor programs and government instituted jobs is yet another area that has been ignored. Both the issues of unemployment and inflation are bad when independent, but when these two are matched the economy as well as people have no chance. Beyond this, the lack of transparency, shady deals, and intimidation tactics make Mugabe and his associated government a poor choice for Zimbabwe.
The most competitive opponent to Mugabe is Tsvangirai for the Movement for Democratic Change. Tsvangirai has admirably endured all of Mugabe’s intimidation schemes directed at him. Tsvangirai’s record does not go as far back as Mugabe’s. He remains an average option (better than Mugabe) but there could be better candidates. Tsvangirai’s lack of political ability and even education may be a great hindrance for him to rule successfully. On the other hand, he does have good support from Zimbabweans and seems to be identifiable to the people. Overall, I think Tsvangirai is probably the most realistic option.
It is hard to say of a third option is at all possible. It is clear that the third candidate must come from within Zimbabwe as most Zimbabweans have seemed to identify with the anti-colonial ideas of Mugabe. With this requirement met the list of viable candidates may go dramatically down. Since the performance of the government under Mugabe has gone so poorly-it is hard to say whether people under him would be a good alternative. For instance, the finance minister or other positions alike may be a natural choice for the next leader, but with poor economic programs/social programs it would be hard to appoint these people. The question truly is—were these people just as incompetent as Mugabe or did Mugabe cause all of the strife?
Robert Mugabe has undoubtedly made many, many mistakes as President of Zimbabwe. The economic situation in Zimbabwe is perhaps the most glaring example of his failure as a leader, considering the inflation rates of over 100,000%. The biggest issue I have with Mugabe, however, is his utter lack of respect for human rights. Mugabe’s racist outlook cannot simply be dismissed because of the acts committed by Ian Smith and the colonial government of Rhodesia. The violence committed against white farmers during efforts to redistribute Zimbabwean land is not excusable, and I blame Mugabe for the violence that accompanies each electoral season. The elections held under the ZANU (PF) are more likely rigged than not and not to mention saturated with corruption, demonstrating Mugabe’s lack of respect for fairness and equality. Mugabe also fully opposes civil rights for the LGBT community and has called homosexuals “worse than dogs and pigs”.
ReplyDeleteI do not know whether or not Tsvangirai will be able to help the situation in Zimbabwe, but as the Movement for Democratic Change has expressed strong interest in fair democratic elections monitored by the international community, I believe that Tsvangirai’s mindset is one of progress. Tsvangirai’s may be a charismatic speaker, but he has also been accused of behaving like a “dictator,” much like Mugabe.
In all honesty, regardless of whether Mugabe or Tsvangirai wins, Zimbabwe will still be violent and laden with problems. If the MDC can win and the ZANU (PF) actually does step aside, progress may come to Zimbabwe, but it will not come soon. The country will take a long time to fix itself.
As much as it pains me to write it, I think that there is a case to be made for a sort of neo-colonialism in Zimbabwe. At this time, I think that the political climate is too unstable for the country to help itself and the best option may be to allow Zimbabwe to be heavily influenced by a more developed country. As the people are so thoroughly opposed to European influence, I think China may be able to aid the Zimbabwean economy. Chinese influence would make few improvements in the domain of human rights, but it could possibly bring the country to a stabilized position, at which point a strong Zimbabwean leader may be able focus on the people. Any foreign involvement would most likely bring more corruption, though, and therefore I think the chances of success would be very slim.
Zimbabwe is certainly in trouble, and I don’t think that the nation will find peace for quite some time.
According to a statement made by Tendai Biti, the Zimbabwean finance minister, in January, there were only “$217 [left] in government coffers” after paying the civil servants. Several factors are considered to be the cause of this vast depletion in funds. Firstly, the sale of diamonds, which should constitute a large portion of the government’s budget, only gave the treasury U.S. $40 million last year, as compared to the projected $104 million required to run the polls for this year’s election. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the opposition party to the ruling ZANU (PF), claims that President Robert Mugabe is appropriating the funds to his campaign budget. Another reason for this economic problem, as well as most in the country, is the 231,000,000 % inflation rate of the Zimbabwean dollar since 1997. This number is considered to be a result of two large actions taken by Mugabe. The first was Mugabe’s concession to protesting war veterans for larger pensions. The second and more publicized impetus for the economic crash was Mugabe’s decision to quickly acquire farmland from the white farmers in Zimbabwe and allocate these farms to the black Zimbabweans. However, as a result of thrusting these untrained farmers into the leadership positions for these macroeconomic joint farms, the agricultural sector suffered a big hit, causing the economy to be nearly halved. Not only have the actions of Robert Mugabe and ZANU (PF) led to the economic crippling of Zimbabwe, but the UN has made an estimate that Zimbabwe will require $131 million in foreign aid in order to feed its people, resulting from a lack of cashflow and agricultural success.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change and the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, has his own issues to deal with before he can tackle the presidential office. Recently, Tsvangirai held a formal wedding ceremony with his fiance, yet did not sign the papers, as doing such could potentially set him up for bigamy charges. His marriage a year prior had not been annulled, thus making his currently planned wedding a crime if completed. To avoid an unnecessary furtherance of the scandal, Tsvangirai agreed to pay his “former” wife £150,000 ($223635) as an out-of-court settlement. However, Tsvangirai’s aides are baffled at the sum he’s procured for the deal, claiming the prime minister has only his £2,000 ($2981.80) monthly salary as a means of income. It would appear that Tsvangirai is not a wise economist, something that Zimbabwe’s next leader must be.
Unfortunately, Zimbabwe seems to be caught between the devil and the deep blue sea with its two big-party candidates. However, in this situation, I think it may be better to elect Tsvangirai. Though his recent credentials seem no more uplifting than those of Mugabe, it may be better, if only for the change in face that his election may bring.
Unfortunately for the 12,754,378 people living in Zimbabwe, this coming election is most likely not going to bring any magical solution to the country’s problems. After almost thirty years, Robert Mugabe is still in power, and the only other serious contender for the 2013 election is Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Tzvangarai and Mugabe have, to say the least, different approaches to the leadership of Zimbabwe. However, as most politicians do, they each have their up-sides and downsides to them. While Mugabe was a freedom fighter and is considered to be a “father” of Zimbabwe, however, people have called his rule over Zimbabwe a “reign of terror,” and rightfully so. Tsvangarai on the other hand has had a slightly better track record in his political career with the MDC, however, he has accused of being a dictator as well. Both of these men are not exactly the rulers that Zimbabwe desperately needs, however, they are the only two that Zimbabwe has.
ReplyDeleteRobert Mugabe has been the president of Zimbabwe for almost thirty years. His political career began in his fight against Ian Smith’s white minority government. Following the downfall of Ian Smith’s government, he became Prime Minister, and then president of Zimbabwe. During the first few years of his leadership, he took the country in an upward direction. The economy was growing, schools and hospitals were being built. However, the decisions that he made about the country started to become unreasonable, and started a period of unrest in the country that still exists today. The economy plummeted downward very quickly, and debt, famine, the AIDS epidemic, inflation, and unemployment started settling in at an increased pace. Especially when white owned farms began to be seized by Mugabe’s followers, the economy fell even farther. Despite all of this unrest in the country, Mugabe remains firm on keeping himself as the president of this country. During his presidency, there has, on more than a few occasions, been a complete disregard for human rights, especially when it comes to anyone who is part of an opposition party. In order to stay in office, he has used violence; deaths threats, and at one point the demolition MDC supporters’ homes. Under his rule, Zimbabwe remains trapped in a deepening hole.
Morgan Tsvangarai is the current Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. He and Mugabe have been sharing power since 2009. However, Mugabe still remains very much in control of Zimbabwe. After being a part of ZANU PF for many years, Tsvangarai decided to start the Movement for Democratic Change, which came into being in 1999. So, Mr. Tsvangarai is no stranger to the violence that anyone opposed to Mugabe and ZANU PF has faced. Over the years, he has played a key role in opposing Mugabe and the ZANU PF. Instead of using Mugabe’s tactics that involve violence and fear, Tsvangarai proposes serious change in the country. However, there have been some criticisms of Tsvangarai in which he has been called a dictator, and has been called unfit to be a leader of all of Zimbabwe.
However, no matter what happens in the coming elections, it is a given that Zimbabwe will still be plagued with issues regarding human rights and the economy. If a third option is to completely uproot the government and stage a coup, then it may be possible turn Zimbabwe back in a positive direction.
Even though I do not think that either Mugabe or Tsvangarai are exactly what Zimbabwe needs, if I had to choose one, I would have to choose Tsvangarai. Mugabe’s violence laden and corrupt rule needs to end. Putting an end to Mugabe’s thirty-year rule may serve as a platform for the country to rebuild itself. It is going to take much more than Tsvangarai and the end of Mugabe’s presidency to mend Zimbabwe’s bleeding wounds, and it will be quite some time until the country becomes stable again.
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ReplyDeleteAccording to our study thus far in PCA, I believe that it is time for a new leader to hold power. Although Mugabe has the favor from the Black Africans, his reign has caused horrific chaos and instilled fear into the people of Zimbabwe.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Tsvangirai should be put in power based upon his experiences throughout the political warfare that Zimbabwe has been facing for years. Tsvangirai experiences in the Zimbabwean trade union movement, serving as the chairman of Associated Mine Workers’, displays that he has a clear understanding of how to work with the common people as well as how to create jobs. Tsvangirai was also awarded with the Solidar Silver Rose Award that highlights the activities of civil society’s and bringing about a fairer and more just society.
What other kind of person would you want running your country than one who is not fair?
Tsvangirai has also created the Movement for Democratic Change, which opposes Mugabe’s rule. We can also conclude that Tsvangirai is able to deal with the pressure that the title “President” would place upon him. Under the watchful eye of the public he is able to combat situations such as to when he lost his wife in a car accident.
A person who has the understanding and knowledge as well as would do anything to better the lives and state of Zimbabwe should be awarded the title as President especially for a country that is currently ruled by a dictator. Tsvangirai thus far has not has a clear chance of winning due to Mugabe’s deceptive ways, but hopefully soon the battle field will become level. The country and people know that Tsvangirai is capable of doing the job, so why not let him try?
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ReplyDeleteMugabe has lead Zimbabwe for the past 3 decades and has not done much to help advance the country. He has not done all wrong though, he has created primary education for all students, guaranteed admission to secondary schools for all who qualified, made free medical care for those with low incomes and a new housing law granting freehold ownership to home renters of 30 year's standing. Within this good he has also led the country to great tensions. The difference between the whites and blacks has been a major factor that has taken a tole on the country. Mugabe has focussed most of his attention into helping the blacks and making them richer and more educated but by doing so he has destroyed the economy and peace within the country.
ReplyDeleteTsvangirai has always been in the shadow of Mugabe. He started off in 1980 joining the ZANU-PF party and being a strong Mugabe supporter, and soon broke off realizing the injustice that was occurring. He has competed against Mugabe several times during presidential elections but has not prevailed, yet. He has lead the ZCTU against the ZANU-PF and has lost the relationship he once had with the government. He has survived 3 assassination attempts and still continues to fight for what he believes. Some people say he is an extravagant leader who enjoys luxury but tends to lack the concern for his fellow citizens. So would he be any different of a leader than Mugabe?
I think that Zimbabwe is in desperate need for a change. Whether it be within the government or a new leader, but something needs to happen. The country is dealing with large problems and Mugabe has not done much to help fix them. Tsvangirai may not be any better, but it is worth the try. Instead of letting Mugabe keep on leading Zimbabwe into a bigger hole than they are already in, I feel that it would be worth the good of the citizens to elect a new leader. He has a very slight chance of winning but I feel it is the best choice between the two candidates that are given.
Whether or not Robert Mugabe of the ZANU (PF) or the Morgan Tsvangiri of the MDC is elected into office in the next democratic presidential election, the future of Zimbabwe looks grim. There is an obvious inability to rule politically despite Mugabe’s charismatic and vibrant personality. He appeals to the masses as a person rather than a leader because he is cheerful and festive, especially at political ceremonies. The country has been ruined by president Mugabe’s blatantly racist and destructive approach to socioeconomic issues such as land distribution, which has enhanced an underlying dislike or even hate for whites from the black majority. Mugabe “confiscated and redistributed more than half of the white-owned land to black peasant farmers.” Of course he was angry at white land ownership and segregated living, but clearly a better solution could have come in play. “This resulted in most of the white farmers whom he labeled as a greedy bunch of racist usurpers, moving en masse out of the country.” According to the guardian.uk, Zimbabwe will not be able to afford the up and coming election, predicted to be higher than 200 million US dollars, unless there is foreign aid. Hyperinflation has also become so complicated that citizens essentially make up their own money by writing more zeros on their trillion dollar bills.
ReplyDeleteFor Zimbabwe to be rebuilt, I believe there needs to be heavy foreign attention. Not only investments, but perhaps British military and political attention, which can help calm the country. I do not believe that we should revert to the colonial-era where the white man was superior to all other races, but foreign aid and attention is essential with a country such as this.
No ruler has the ability to rebuild it, especially in one term as president or (dictator) as many believe Zimbabwe currently has. Neither Mugabe nor Tsvangiri have the political skill or determination to completely clean the country, but Tsvangiri and foreign attention is the countries best bet. Mugabi lives a life of vengeance. His goal is to rid Zimbabwe of all white people, simply ignoring the beneficial economic role these citizens play in the country. Thankfully, it was actually predicted that Tsvangiri would win the next election according to Zimdiaspora. He has a dream to rebuild the country and take the next steps towards a better Zimbawe, we can only hope he sticks to his heart and receives the necessary help along the way. It is time for the new Zimbabwe to take root.
While Robert Mugabe’s streak of corruption and power-hungry actions taken while in power clearly make him a less than ideal candidate to run a nation, we must look at the factors that may have caused this behavior before considering whether Morgan Tsvangirai, his primary political opponent, will be able to avoid the same failures and manage the country more successfully.
ReplyDeleteWhen Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF began their governance of an independent Zimbabwe in 1980, some of the first issues they came across were those of white officials loyal to Ian Smith’s government. People like Peter Walls, former head of the Rhodesian military, put in charge of integrating the Zimbabwean military after the Bush War, still held openly negative opinions about Mugabe. This, combined with the bitter fighting that took place in the Rhodesian Bush War, may have sowed the seeds for Mugabe’s future distrust and racially motivated actions against Zimbabwe’s white minority. After this initial tension, trouble in the form of ethnic divisions broke out, as ZANU and ZAPU began fighting for power. This culminated in the infamous Gukurahundi operation in Matabeleland, where Mugabe used a special “Law and Order Maintenance Act” and an elite military unit to pacify the region. Conflict between the two groups did not cease until the end of the 1980s, as Mugabe gained the power to change the constitution, afford himself greater power, and incorporate ZAPU into ZANU-PF, most likely in a bid to buy the opposing party off and keep them from stirring up further trouble. This all occurred against the backdrop of a slowly declining Zimbabwean economy in the 1980s.
Elections starting off the 1990s were deemed “neither free nor fair,” and the economy continued to deteriorate as a result of economic policies hurt by frequent drought through the decade. Mugabe’s government continued to react harshly to opposition, which fostered dissent, and the land redistribution policies implemented against white farmers caused food shortages and the loss of a productive sector of the economy.
Throughout the 2000s, Robert Mugabe continued to win in questionable elections, and continued to preside over a deteriorating Zimbabwe. Inflation continued to grow to incredible levels, and no real improvements have been observed.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it seems that Mugabe began to feel severely threatened early on in his career as President of Zimbabwe, and as a result began to take gradual steps toward entrenching himself as the head of Zimbabwe, all while neglecting his duty to improve Zimbabwe and ensure the livelihoods of his people. To hazard a guess, it would seem that Mugabe felt discouraged by early political and racial tensions along with the few rousing successes caused by his government’s policies. Once the economic and social issues started to pile up in the 1980s, it seems that Mugabe began to focus less on analyzing and fixing these issues and instead tried to crack down and defend himself from the criticism voiced by those unhappy with his policies. By doing this, Mugabe managed to entrench himself in power, but did little to try and fix the actual problems in his country.
Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe’s main political opponent, does present a viable alternative to Mugabe. Starting off his political career, Tsvangirai supported Mugabe and managed to climb up ZANU-PF’s political hierarchy, and eventually ended up as the Secretary General of the ZCTU, a trade union movement, in 1989. However, while with the ZCTU, Tsvangirai did not blindly submit to ZANU-PF’s will like previous Secretary General’s, but instead seemed to openly criticize the government’s policies at a time where obedience to the government would have been a much more profitable and safer option. Into the late 1990s, Tsvangirai survived assassination attempts and eventually helped found the MDC while fighting back against Mugabe’s further attempts to change the constitution. Tsvangirai survived more assassination attempts throughout the 2000s, but in an interesting turn of events, joined Mugabe in a joint government as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
Overall, it seems that Tsvangirai sincerely desires to help Zimbabwe based on the difficulties he faced as Mugabe’s main political opponent over the years. His speech given on May 24, 2008, where he addressed the problems concerning Mugabe’s ability to change the constitution, the use of the military, and control over the economy seemed to show that he was ready to implement some of the change Zimbabwe needs. However, the fact remains that Tsvangirai’s real intentions cannot be fully known, and that without proper safeguards, Tsvangirai could do exactly what Mugabe did and slowly entrench himself in power. But should Tsvangirai truly be willing to take action and do what he believes is best for Zimbabwe and its people, he would be a better alternative to Mugabe, for he will be a leader willing to experiment and test out new policies, instead of spouting the same rhetoric and maintaining the status quo.
The presidential options for Zimbabwe may seem to be an obvious choice, the choices still need to be weighed. This post is not intended to attack Mugabe’s faults as president of Zimbabwe, but rather give light to the choices that the Zimbabwe people need to make.
ReplyDeleteTsvangirai, Mugabe’s primary opponent, previously stood as chairman of Associated Mine Workers. Tsvangairai has also taken heavy criticism as well as threats from Mugabe’s party. Although this alone does not make him worthy of being a president, his determination shows the people that he has a plan, and at this point, that is exactly what they need to hear.
Tsvangirai is truly the people’s president. He wants what the people want and he seems like the right fit. However, Mugabe also promised his people change, and used the all black no colonialist card to his advantage when he was first elected president. How can we tell who will be a fitting president if Mugabe changed into such an extremist so quickly? The answer is we can’t tell. We can only hope that Tsvangairai does not turn into the same dictator that Mugabe is today.
Zimbabwe is in a time of crisis and needs change. There are many issues that plague this once proud country. The most infamous problem of Zimbabwe is its economy. There is both insane inflation as well as high unemployment rates in this forsaken country. Robert Mugabe was the “Prime Minister” from 1980 to 1987 but he has stayed in power and is currently ruling the country. The first few years of his rule were not terrible. At one point in time, Zimbabwe was even considered the breadbasket of Africa due to its natural beauty and relative peacefulness.
ReplyDeleteRobert Mugabe has overstayed his term as leader of the Zimbabwean Nation. During the beginning of his regime, issues were moderate and life wasn’t bad for most Zimbabweans. But the longer he stayed in power, the more his focus turned from helping the people of his country to ridding it of whites. This is completely understandable though. The white government of Great Britain colonized Zimbabwe and was not the best at it. Mugabe’s focus also turned to creating anger and aggression towards foreigners so that the citizens of Zimbabwe would forget that Mugabe had forsaken them. This is the only reason that the people can’t see through the major issues that Mugabe has created.
Morgan Tsvangirai shows impressive leadership attributes. He started out as a member of the ZANU PF but later started his own party, the MDC. This initial move shows independence and that he may have what it takes to help bring Zimbabwe back to its feet. Although he may not be a perfect option for president, his leadership abilities would benefit the nation much more than Mugabe ever could. Even though I think that Tsvangirai should automatically be president right now, I still think that they should let their electoral system work itself out, as long as Mugabe doesn’t change his policies once again.
The nation of Zimbabwe has become the poster child of a failed African State. With rampant poverty, starvation, as well as the lowest average life expectancy in the world, Zimbabwe’s future looks bleak. It is widely agreed that the majority of Zimbabwe’s issues are a result of poor leadership, and for the nation to move forward, a new administration is required. However, to truly understand the leadership issues in Zimbabwe, it is critical to understand the two individuals who are vying for control of the nation, Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangari.
ReplyDeleteIn the years following the end of the Rhodesian Bush War, Robert Mugabe was viewed as hero of independence. He was admired around the continent as the man who led the path to victory against the “imperialist invaders”. Although currently viewed as an incompetent dictator, Mugabe’s early track record is remarkably impressive, particular in the realm of social services and improving the standard of living. In the decade following independence, infant and child mortality dropped by fifty percent, immunization rates tripled, malnutrition fell by ten percent, life expectancy increased from fifty-six years to sixty-four years, and literacy rates came close to ninety percent. However, these impressive achievements would soon be over shadowed by a series of colossal failures.
The first indication of Mugabe becoming a dictator was a military campaign in southern Zimbabwe known as Operation Gukurahundi. Shortly after the end of the Rhodesian Bush War, tensions grew between the Shona-speaking people in the north of the country and the Ndeblele-speaking people in south. By 1982, there were early signs of rebellion in the region and Mugabe launched a full-scale military operation in the area. Although the purpose behind the operation was to battle “insurgents” and “reorient the population”, military forces found themselves, more often engaging in the mass killing of civilians. In fact, there were numerous occasions when Zimbabwean forces planted weapon caches as evidence to justify their actions. In the end, over 20,000 civilians were killed in Operation Gukurahundi.
However, the decision that put the final nail in Mugabe’s coffin was his “land distribution” program of the late 1990’s. The basis of this program was to redistribute farmland, which was primarily owned by White Zimbabweans, to Blacks who had been denied the opportunity to own large swaths of land in the past through forced eviction. This turned out to be a disaster, because the individuals who acquired the farmland were usually Mugabe’s cronies and had no experience farming, causing the agricultural- based economy of Zimbabwe to collapse. Hyperinflation and massive food shortages soon set in, creating disarray and chaos throughout the country. All of Mugabe’s previous accomplishments would soon go to waste as the average standard of living in Zimbabwe plummeted. In fact, Zimbabwe currently has the lowest average life expectancy in the world of thirty-six years of age.
In recent years, Morgan Tsvangarai, leader to the MDC opposition party, is seen as the best candidate to end Mugabe’s “reign of terror.” Like, Mugabe, Tsvangarai was involved in achieving Zimbabwe’s independence, quickly rising through the ranks of Mugabe’s political party, the ZANU PF. He later became the head of large labor union organizations before becoming the leader of the MDC. Tsvangarai is particular respected for his ability to continue his career in politics despites the threats against him. Tsvangarai has been beaten up countless times and has even survived three assignation attempts, one that claimed the life of his wife. Tsvangarai has shown to be such a determined individual that Mugabe eventually negotiated a power sharing agreement where Tsvangarai would act as prime minister and Mugabe would still be president. Despite, Tsvangarai achievements of negotiating this deal, he has not accomplished a great deal while serving as Prime Minster, with the economy still in shambles and Mugabe’s land reform still ongoing, however this is likely due the arrangement of the power sharing agreement.
ReplyDeleteWhile Tsvangarai still has much to prove, he has shown the ability to overcome insurmountable odds and to be able to rally fellow Zimbabweans around him. At this point, practically anybody would be a better president than Mugabe, so Tsvangarai is more than qualified for this position. However, the qualities that give Tsvangarai promise are some of the same qualities that made Mugabe such an inspiration in his “glory days”. If Tsvangarai is ever able to wrestle control away from Mugabe, the rest of the world must watch closely to make sure that he does not become the next “Uncle Bob.”
This goes against my moral code, but I believe Robert Mugabe should leave the presidency when Robert Mugabe sees fit. After contemplating about Mugabe and Tsvangirai for quite some time now, I have come to the conclusion that if Tsvangirai somehow comes to power, Zimbabwe will be worse off. My most compelling argument for keeping this ruthless, heartless, brainless dictator in power is a parallel I can draw to a country not too far north. On the same continent, not too long ago, Egypt was going through a process of renewal, or better yet, a revolution. I think of how Mubarak laundered billions of dollars, used martial law unsparingly, and allowed for the persecution of thousands of minority individuals. But in the end, despite the lack of clean water, the high rates of unemployment, the dismal human rights situation, etc., Egypt was at peace with its chaos. When the people demanded an overthrow of government, which may just very well happen if the people are set on Tsvangirai as their next president, there may be more bloodshed than ever before. And it is not just bloodshed I fear, but what the government has in store for its people. I have no doubt that Tsvangirai will be less of merciless despot than Mugabe, but I am weary for the future of Zimbabwe. Because at the end of the day, if the only thing that changes in Zimbabwe is the president along with a few government seats, the rest of the politicians with their hands deep into the wells of corruption will prevent any positive reform to come to Zimbabwe. Because positive reform results in more money going to the people of Zimbabwe and less money going to the politicians’ deeply lined pockets. Ideally, what’d I’d much rather see is Mugabe step down when he feels ready to step down and then Tsvangirai can come to power. Mugabe is old and ailing and doesn’t have much energy left to run the country. If he is forced out, I fear Zimbabwe may be thrown into a civil war. But this is only speculation. And though it seems to be that I have defended Mugabe, I am really only defending the stability of an unstable nation, which seems rather silly, but still holds a grain of truth. In conclusion, Mugabe needs to go one way or another. When the president of a country is actively and vigorously promoting the ethnic cleansing of a particular group living in that country, there is no other place for him/her to go other than behind bars for quite some time. I just hope Mugabe realizes it is his time to leave and that he goes peacefully without inciting any more violence. President Mugabe once said “The only white man you can trust is a dead white man.” Well I’m sure many people feel the same way about him. I just hope Tsvangirai will practice what he preaches.
ReplyDeleteWhile elections time in Zimbabwe comes closer every day, tensions between the Zanu PF and MDC political parties continue to rise. Though the two candidates seem vastly different when compared at face value, Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai are not really all that different.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, Morgan Tsvangirai seems like a much better candidate for Zimbabwean presidency than the currently ruling Mugabe. Once I found out a little more about Tsvangirai, however, I wasn’t convinced – some of his closest friends have accused him of acting like a dictator, and anti-MDC campaigning have (truthfully) pointed out his general lack of education, and questioned his leadership skills. Compared to Mugabe, Tsvangirai might seem like a saint – but the president of Zimbabwe shouldn’t be a choice between the lesser of two evils – it should be the man (or woman, however unlikely) that is most qualified for the position.
Unfortunately for the Zimbabwean democratic process, Robert Mugabe seems to have permanently installed himself as their life-long president. While maintaining a façade of democracy and political freedom (although hardly convincing), Mugabe’s supporters terrorize his political opponents and ensure any uprisings that could destabilize his presidency are dealt with swiftly and severely. Because of Mugabe’s overly-violent reaction to any sort of non-Zanu PF political movements, gaining the support of the masses is near impossible – who wants to protest for a new president while being shot at by the army and attacked by thugs? Mugabe’s track record of offenses includes ordering violent beatings on Tsvangirai himself (who once used to be a member of he Zanu PF), in an attempt to discourage him from running for office.
Robert Mugabe is president of Zimbabwe because there is nobody that can replace him. If by some magical chance Tsvangirai (or another candidate) wins election in Zimbabwe, even bigger problems arise. The Zimbabwean military has sworn it will only take orders from Mugabe or his appointed successors, meaning that even if a non Zanu PF candidate wins election, they will quickly be ousted by the Zimbabwean military. Despite being a horrible leader, Mugabe provides some sort of order in Zimbabwe – though crime is widespread in Zimbabwe, without a standing army to quell uprisings, all of Zimbabwe would be burnt to the ground within weeks. It’s a vicious cycle – Mugabe is essentially solely responsible for the poor state Zimbabwe is in now, with ludicrous hyper-inflation, massive income disparity, and extensive poverty – but he also provides the country with order. Although he created Zimbabwe’s problem, he’s the only thing standing between a poverty-stricken Zimbabwe and an utterly chaotic Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is clearly in need of a new leader, but the destabilization that will occur when power switches hands (or attempts to) could push the country over the edge, and into an irreversible spiral. The assistance of foreign companies and governments could be of great assistance to the people of Zimbabwe, but if Mugabe keeps his racist attitude (which is not likely to change any time soon), I hold little hope for Zimbabwe.
The country of Zimbabwe is in desperate need of change. The upcoming election in Zimbabwe is crucial to the future of the country. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s current president, was elected in 1980 and has remained in power ever since. He leads the ZANU-PF government and has a power sharing agreement with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. President Mugabe is a man who will do whatever it takes to stay in power. His primary tactic for enforcing laws in his country is violence. There is no justice or respect for humanity and equality or what his people need under his rule. In the year 2000, Robert Mugabe created land reform laws that re-possessed and re-distributed the land that was owned by white farmers in the country back to the black majority. Since this has been in place, the economy in Zimbabwe has greatly suffered. The black majority does not know how to farm the land and therefore are eliminating one of Zimbabwe’s biggest resources, agriculture. With a GDP dropping 40% and the hyperinflation rate as the second highest in the world, Zimbabwe is in desperate need of a new leader. In contrast, Morgan Tsvangirai, is a man labeled as a “freedom fighter” by many. Throughout his political career, he has faced many violent assaults by Mugabe and Mugabe’s political party and was forced by his opposing party to drop out of the election in 2008 when he almost unseated Mugabe. Morgan Tsvangirai brings hope to many Zimbabweans for the future of Zimbabwe if he were to be elected in the upcoming election. The future of Zimbabwe lies in the results of the upcoming election. Morgan Tsvangirai would be a more suitable leader because he has the best intentions in mind for the Zimbabwean people. These good intentions will hopefully result in actions to better the lives of the Zimbabwean people and the country of Zimbabwe.
ReplyDeleteAt the current time, Zimbabwe has fallen into a crisis. Zimbabwe is in desperate need of change. While there are many reasons why Zimbabwe has fallen, the biggest problem that faces this country is its leader. When Mugabe was first elected, he was considered to be a good leader. In fact, Zimbabwe was affectionately called the "Bread Basket" of Africa.
ReplyDeleteMugabe has not made the right choices for Zimbabwe. He has been a rather selfish leader and Zimbabwe's economy and politics have gone downhill. Mugabe has been in power for nearly 30 years, and his desperation to keep that power shows in his land reform policy and his ability to use the white africans as a scapegoat for what is wrong with the country, (even if that engenders racism).
Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposing party's, MDC, candidate seems to be the only person who is capable of taking over Mugabe's rein. (MDC is a political party created Tsvangirai himself) Tsvangarai should be president over Mugabe, if Zimbabwe is to rebuid itself.
After gaining independence, Zimbabwe seemed as if it was going to be one of the most successful countries on the continent. The land in Zimbabwe’s soil is of perfect fertility, making it the breadbasket of Africa. Farmers in Zimbabwe were able to produce large quantities of food for itself and the rest of the southern African nations. President Mugabe was looked at as a revolutionary man, bringing Zimbabwe to a new, non-colonial era. However, slowly but surely, Mugabe actually worsened the economy of Zimbabwe, increased poverty throughout the population, and did his best to make the racial tension in the country more severe.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandably, Mugabe is racist. He grew up in a time where whites were dominant, and blacks were oppressed. In my opinion, Mugabe craves power today because of his lack of control in his early life. This is also why he contains so much hate for whites. However, his hatred towards whites affects all of Zimbabwe, when he makes the decision to take control of every white-owned farm. He focuses on eradicating all whites in Zimbabwe, which in turn slows down the production of crops and the economy crashes. After a lifetime of rule, Mugabe essentially brought Zimbabwe to its lowest point. However, although Mugabe may not be successful in improving the country, he knows exactly how to be a charismatic leader. Corruption within the government does play a major role in Mugabe’s endless reelections, however he does still have a decent number of supporters still. Mugabe is able to use common leadership techniques such as using a scapegoat to be the source of all the problems, and distracting the public from his own faults and showing the other flaws in the system. Looking at the history of Zimbabwe after independence, I feel that Mugabe will probably become re-elected whether he wins the popular vote or not. I think that the other candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai will gain more support amongst the population.
Morgan Tsvangirai seems like a better candidate for the presidency, and in the eyes of the people against Mugabe, anybody with experience seems better fit for the job. However, Tsvangirai may not be as extreme as Mugabe, but he shares similar characteristics, which could be a red flag. However, in my opinion, if I were living in Zimbabwe, I’d rather have Tsvangirai as my president because some change is better than no change. If worst comes to worst, the best bet would be for the Zimbabweans to have a revolution to overthrow the current leaders and maybe even the entire government, and start from scratch and rebuild a new government in its place.
Robert Mugabe, the current “President” of Zimbabwe has prolonged his reign for 26 years and run his once beloved country into the ground. In 1987 Mugabe shifted from the position of prime minister to president, a process which increased his political power substantially. Even before his additional powers were granted, Mugabe had a history of unscrupulous actions and dealings. One prime example of this is operation Gukurahundi, an event through which Mugabe incited genocide in Matabeleland. Mugabe’s forces in the 5th brigade are said to have killed ten to twenty thousand people in the conflict. As the clock ticked during his time as President, Mugabe was actively destroying Zimbabwe’s economy through many poorly planned market reforms. All of the above does not even begin to address the issues of racism and culture of hate that Mugabe has bred. One must only look as a few of the years Mugabe has spent as President to realize that he is unfit to lead a country with so much wasted potential.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe has long opposed Robert Mugabe, even during his time as a member of ZANU-PF. Tsvangirai has survived three assassination attempts and been beaten and threatened many times throughout his political career due to his opposition of Mugabe. However, the man remains determined. Zimbabwe needs someone of his determination, someone who can resist the temptations of power and put the country on the right course (it also needs a term limit for politicians but that is besides the point). Tsvangirai has a good deal of accolades as well. He is a recipient of the SOLIDAR Silver Rose Award and served as the chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly of Zimbabwe. If a choice must be made between these two men then choice should be clear.
But what about a third candidate? If the people of Zimbabwe cannot vote Tsvangirai into power, then they will never be able to rally support for a third candidate until Mugabe is dead.
Zimbabwe has been plagued with corruption and empty promises since the early 80’s. Mugabe has ran a “reign of terror.” for over 30 years and it won’t stop till he dies. Zimbabwe’s future looks dim and troubled. Their economy is in the gutter with 1,000,000 Zimbabwe dollars being worth little to nothing. This hyper inflation only a fragment of the sum of Zimbabwe’s turmoil. Extreme poverty and widespread starvation are two other terms to add to the issue.
ReplyDeleteMugabe came to power in 1980 and has been the Prime Minister ever since. He was a freedom fighter and helped the country in gaining independence from Britain. He is a charismatic leader and has led the country ever since as part of the ZANU (PF). Many people in Zimbabwe still have a hate for the British Empire. Although relatively justifiable their inclination for vengeance allows Mugabe to transmit his propaganda through a similarity he shares with the people, a hate for colonialism and especially the british. In a speech shown in the movie Mugabe and the White African he states that, “We are not part of the british empire!” This hasty mentality makes it fairly easy for Mugabe to essentially brainwash much of the population into aligning with his popular facade. The majority of his political moves have only increased corruption and the tangledness of the country. His land distribution program and military activity significantly added to the flame of crooked bureaucracy in the nation.
Morgan Tsvangirai is a different story. He began his political career as part of the ZANU (PF) but moved and aided in the startup of the Movement for Democratic change (MDC) in 1999. Tsvangirai has played a significant role in opposing Mugabe’s regime. Tsvangirai has competed against Mugabe for the Prime Minister role since he began politics. Mugabe has used fear tactics to attempt to scare away Tsvangirai. In fact, Tsvangirai has survived three assassination attempts. He has been criticized as being far from frugal and may not have enough experience to lead the country.
Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai are poor options in my opinion. Regardless of a fit leader Zimbabwe will still suffer for many more years. To really see change Zimbabwe needs an insane amount of foreign aid, total reform of the government and most importantly a strong education system.
As we all known, Robert Mugabe is the current president of Zimbabwe, he was known as a freedom fighter in 1960s and 1970s, and he became the prime minister for the new Zimbabwe after British colonial rule ended. After that, he was elected to be the president of Zimbabwe in 1987 until now. What impress me in the class is he is an absolutely racist, but it is interesting that he was taught that “all people should be treated equally and educated to the fulfillment of their abilities” (biography.com). Mugabe was influenced by Christianity in his childhood, last year I was in a christian school, even teachers tried to let everyone accept our international students, but some students still act extreme unfriendly, especially for us, Chinese. I am very confused why teachers and students act so different in that school, I assume that maybe something happened in Mugabe’s early life, either his mom (his dead died when Mugabe was a boy) or the environment has taught him to treat whites different.
ReplyDeleteRobert Mugabe is 89 years old in 2013, but he still wants to fight for the president. “He's said in the past he is going to "fight like a wounded animal" to win” (http://blogs.aljazeera.com). In my opinion, his action either explain his extremely thirsty for the power desire or he feels there is no one can be good enough to be the president, otherwise why an such old man still fighting for that position. It is absolutely that he is doing a horrible job in economy, “Since 2000, GDP has declined by roughly 40% in part due to land reform and hyperinflation” (Wikipedia). Robert Mugabe is also famous in beating up his contestants, and possible cheating in the election.
That’s see the current prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, as I read in an article, the author had an interview with a person who name is Tuku, Tuku’s identity is not specifically mentioned, but I can see he is definitely working with Tsvangirai, “you see when you share a room with your boss, you don’t expect much but Morgan was always open to talking. We touched on many subjects to wear away the night.” (http://nehandaradio.com). Also, this person said “Morgan has always been there for the people”, it is interesting that this article comes from Zimbabwe News and Internet Radio Station, what surprise that Mugabe has let this article survive till now, is it contradictory from what we have learned?
In conclusion, I really don’t know who can be the right person to be the Zimbabwe next president, but it seems like Mugabe stays for the desire of power but Tsvangiral stands for the people. I just hope that next president can do something good to this country.
Resources:
http://nehandaradio.com/2012/09/20/do-these-people-really-know-tsvangirai-up-close/
http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/africa/zimbabwe-braces-mugabe-surprises
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mugabe
http://www.biography.com/people/robert-mugabe-9417391?page=1
Zimbabwe is in a desperate situation. The economy is shot. Hyperinflation caused every Zimbabwean to be a millionaire, but at one point, 1 US dollar was worth over 300 trillion Zimbabwean dollars. One of the many causes of this is the current leader, Mugabe, who decided it would be a good idea to print more money when the economy was down, instead of actually fixing the problem.
ReplyDeleteMugabe has been the president in Zimbabwe since 1980. He has been known to cause violence against supporters of opposing political parties. In one case, bulldozing their homes. It doesn’t seem farfetched that he also has been rigging previous elections to stay in office. This unwillingness to welcome opposing opinions makes democracy impossible. The only way for Zimbabwe government to be fair and representative of the peoples desires it’s to welcome other opinions. That is the whole point of a democracy, which Zimbabwe claims to be. His land distribution policy, as well as violence is having a negative effect on Zimbabwe. Fertile farm lands are being taken from experienced farmers and given to inexperience people who have no resources or knowledge to keep the farms productive. Almost a quarter of the country’s population has left due to the violence.
Morgan Tsvangirai is another candidate for Zimbabwean presidency. He started his political career supporting ZANU (pf) but moved on to create the MDC, which shows his leadership skills. Tsvangirai has his flaws too. He was able to pay off an ex-girlfriend £150,000 in an out-of-court settlement but his salary is only £2,000 a month. A bit more than suspicious.
I believe that neither choices are ideal for Zimbabwe, but I believe that Tsvangirai to be the lesser of the two evils. Also, Tsvangirai as president would be a change. Zimbabwe people are dying for a change and a change could bring them hope that the country’s situation could improve.
Over the past two decades, the nation of Zimbabwe has been destroying itself in slow motion. It has seen the complete collapse of its economy, farcical levels of inflation, widespread, racially fueled and government sanctioned violence, the stripping of individual rights, and institutionalized political corruption at all levels of government. In a mere two decades, the “bread basket” of Africa, the African nation with the highest level of literacy and education, has become a textbook example of despotism and nepotism.
ReplyDeleteWhile there are many reasons for the decline of Zimbabwe, there is undeniably a single cause. Robert Mugabe, the “democratically elected” president of Zimbabwe is to blame for the sorry state of his nation. His horrifically misguided fiscal policies and exorbitant social programs devastated the Zimbabwean economy, while his corruption and human rights abuses have led to millions of Zimbabweans fleeing the country. It has been the actions of this one man that have brought a once proud nation to its knees.
Know, you may be thinking, “all right, the opposition candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, is obviously the better choice for Zimbabwe, case closed.” Well, not quite. You see, while Tsvangirai is absolutely a better choice to lead Zimbabwe (he has years of experience governing under the ZANU-PF before leaving, he is viewed as a martyr by more than half of the nation) electing him would have immediate and dire consequences for the entire continent.
The main problem is that, even though he is a tyrannical despot, many Zimbabweans are still loyal to Robert Mugabe. The man is a fantastic politician. He has proven time and time again that he can inspire people, and many of his social programs have made him very popular with the impoverished. More importantly, he has a very long history with the leaders of the Zimbabwean military and has personal control over several extralegal, paramilitary organizations that operate within Zimbabwe. All this means is that if Tsvangirai were to become the president of Zimbabwe (either through the help of an outside group or by a movement akin to the Arab Spring) it is entirely possible that the supporters of Mugabe would fight back. This could very well lead to Zimbabwe becoming an African Syria, with revolutionary rebels fighting against the well-armed national military.
Because of the risks associated with the election of Tsvangirai and the gross mismanagement of Mugabe, I have to conclude that the best option for Zimbabwe is to sit and wait. They need to just try to outlast Mugabe. This may seem callous, but I think the best option would be to wait for Mugabe to die and to deal his successor. At least then the nation has a chance of dealing with the situation peacefully.
There is no way to disguise the fact that Zimbabwe is in dire straits. The people are suffering and something needs to change. When contrasting Morgan Tsvangirai (Mugabe’s biggest political rival) and Robert Mugabe (the current president of Zimbabwe) I tried to look at which will be more beneficial to Zimbabwe, not necessarily who is a better person or leader.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the current crisis cannot be solved by Mugabe or Tsvangirai alone, Zimbabwe must receive outside help. Mugabe has consistently rejected white influence in his country which is just what they need in order to advance as a community. Mugabe throwing whites off of their farms is damaging how others view Zimbabwe. When people see a country discriminating against their race they will not be likely to help out. This law is hurting Mugabe and his country in a way that he is too short-sighted to see. I think Tsvangirai will be much better in terms of foreign relations which will cause many other countries to invest in Zimbabwe's future when they otherwise wouldn’t. Tsvangirai gives Zimbabwe something they desperately need as well, regardless of his policy it will cause people to reconsider the stigmas surrounding Mugabe. With a new president comes the expectation of positive change. However when considering Tsvangirai you also have to take into account that the military likely would not support him which could cause even more chaos in an already unstable society. Although I believe that Tsvangirai would be a better president, given that much of stigmas surrounding Mugabe were true, I believe that the process of getting him into power might be more damaging to Zimbabwe’s future than Mugabe. Tsvangirai is definitely not an ideal leader, he has been described as a dictator as well, but he is the only other possible candidate for the presidency. I think what Zimbabwe needs right now is stability which is simply impossible with a transition in power. That being a said I believe Mugabe should continue to rule until his death, allowing for a peaceful power transition and hopefully a new chapter for Zimbabwe.
As Zimbabwe nears its presidential elections, it is important to keep in mind that although Mugabe and Tsvangirai are opponents, they come from the same political background and do currently work together, albeit forcedly so. Tsvangirai was originally a part of ZANU-PF until he helped found the political party MDC (Movement for Democratic Change), of which he is the first and current president. Tsvangarai has experienced, first-hand, the injustices that make ZANU-PF infamous, and Mugabe has dealt his fair share of those injustices upon the people, culture, and foundation of Zimbabwe.
ReplyDeleteAlthough one could argue that a change in leadership would be irrelevant, and that the country is essentially picking its poison, I think that there is a great value in any major change. If there is no shift in leadership in Zimbabwe, its people run a high risk of giving up all together. An apathetic populace is extremely dangerous, and Zimbabwe is in such a state of emergency, that if its people succumb to desolation, the country will truly fall to its knees. That being said, change is better than no change at all. Although it may seem like a big risk (Tsvangirai could turn out to be even worse than Mugabe is), at this point, the country needs that step in a new direction. In fact, to not take this risk would mean an assured national ‘death’ at the hands of Mugabe.
The worst thing for Zimbabwe is to continue the forced partnership between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. The men have opposing viewpoints on nearly everything, so the efficacy of either is severely diminished by the presence of the other. If the men need to worry about upholding their mutual rivalry, their energy is being wasted. The state of the country is much too fragile for its leaders to be wasting time with quarrels and long-standing animosity.
At risk of seeming overly pessimistic, Zimbabwe’s problems cannot be fixed by a change in leadership. Rather, its constitution and culture (ie: values and priorities of the people) must first be changed. However, given that the election is imminent and could take decades to change a constitution and even longer to alter a population’s mindset, I believe that Tsvangirai would best serve the country as a leader.
At first glance, it would seem that any one would be better suited to be at the helm of the crisis that is Zimbabwe then current president, Robert Mugabe. That citizens would be much better off at the hands of anyone who isn't a life-long dictator committed to racism, and a perpetrator of violence and corruption. This opinion is one of the few things that Morgan Tsvangirai has going for him in his campaign to overthrow Mugabe.
ReplyDeleteNot only has Mugabe been in power for over 30 years, known for his dictatorial practices, but he takes violent, military based action against Tsvangirai and his supporters. It is seemingly impossible for Tsvangirai to beat Mugabe, so the focus should be spent on ridding Zimbabwe of the horrible leader that Mugabe is, right?
Wrong. The main people who suffer because of that one sided approach are the citizens- white and black. And although I disagree with the land redistribution policies that Mugabe has implemented, I do think that there needs to be major work done for the economic empowerment for the impoverished black communities. In addition, the last thing Zimbabwe needs is major civil unrest- which is what will occur if there is an attempted violent uprising against Mugabe. He will use his loyal military to shut it down- resources and lives will be lost and the country will be no further along in its attempt to progress past the extreme turmoil that has come during its post-colonial era.
Instability should be the enemy, with the goal being a more fair division of labor in conjunction with a more prevalent understanding of civil rights. It seems as if the country and its leadership could do much better spending its time and resources on its citizens, instead of the violence that it currently is.