Crisis ? What Crisis ?

It all gets rather dispiriting.

With a life expectancy of 37, inflation of 100,000 %, many people surviving on less than $1 a day and a mass exodus to neighbouring countries it would seem to me that Zimbabwe is in crisis.

Add to that the fact that the Presidential election results from a couple of weeks ago seem to have been "shelved" and it doesn't look very good. It seems the people of Zimbabwe voted for change but the current president, Robert Mugabe, doesn't want that to happen.

Zimbabwe's powerful neighbour is South Africa. It seems that South Africa is very reluctant to criticise Mr. Mugabe. South African President, Thabo Mbeki visited Robert Mugabe today and effectively said "Crisis ? What crisis ?".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/12/wzim412.xml

This is all rather disappointing. It underlines a lack of serious political leadership in Africa and means that the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans just goes on.

Jokers. Presidents Mbeki and Mugabe enjoy a laugh but life is far from funny for most Zimbabweans.

Farewell Mugabe ?

Robert Mugabe: 28 years of leadership and the life average life expectancy of a Zimbabwean has fallen to 37

It is easy to forget that there are many, rather than just a few, countries around the world that do not enjoy freedom.

One country that is definitely on the list is Zimbabwe. Aside from political freedom there is precious little of any sort of freedom. Life expectancy is in the 30s (seriously) and inflation is running at 100,000 %.

Robert Mugabe has ruled the country since 1980.

Now there is a serious chance to free the country of his tyranny and his incompetence through a general election. It appears that Mugabe has lost the election but the results of the poll that happened on Saturday are still not available. The more time that passes the greater the suspicion that something is being fixed.

As outside observers we can only hope and pray that some change comes to Zimbabwe and its people. The one powerful country in the region, South Africa, has by common consent being rather shameful of its lack of criticism of its northern neighbour.

Mugabe has proved a master of exploiting racial politics and his country's history as a British colony. The unfortunate fact for ordinary Zimbabweans is that life has steadily got worse under Mugabe's rule.

The principle opposition to Mugabe, despite much intimidation, is the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

I wish them well for if they do win the task of rescuing Zimbabwe from its Mugabe legacy is enormous.

Let's hope it really is time to say farewell Mugabe.