Mugabe crossed the Rubicon back in 1980; it was too late to turn back now!
There is a rumour going the rounds that it was Mugabe’s security chiefs, the Police Commissioner, Army General, etc. who told Mugabe he had lost the 29 March 2008 presidential vote with a very big margin. The story goes that Mugabe was prepared to resign but the security chiefs told him in no uncertain terms that he could not do that. When Mugabe met his own Zanu PF ruling body, the politburo (not that the it has ever made any decisions of course) they too realised the game was up.
When Mugabe took over the chain of office following Zanu PF’s 1980 election victory he made conscience decision then that intended to stay in office for keeps. He could have dropped his one-party state ticket, particularly now that the country’s constitution called for a multi-party system. He wanted absolute power and was not going to let anything; the constitution, human rights or even the sanctity of human life itself stand in his way. So from the very first day in office, he started scheming and single minded carry out his evil plan.
He did achieve his objective; 28 years of absolute power. The price was heavy; a totally subjugated nation who has had their dream of peace, freedom and human dignity snuffed. A crippled national economy with the world’s highest inflation, highest unemployment rates, etc. and all the tragic human suffering that has gone with it.
Many, many Zimbabweans have lost their lives unnecessarily during the 28 years of Mugabe tyranny. Where there is poverty her two sisters, disease and death, are there with her. Thousands more lives were lost in politically motivated violence orchestrated by Mugabe and his ruling party, Zanu PF.
When Mugabe decided to be a tyrant, a ruthless dictator, he crossed the Rubicon. All those close to him in the politburo, the Police, the Army knew exactly what he had done and they followed him. They too splashed into the water and crossed with him. They too knew they had made a momentous decision.
Even if some may claim that their geography is not so good, they did not realise the river they crossed back then was the Rubicon. They can claim that they did not remember Rome too because they have matched to the city gates and right in the Senate – fully armed. After 28 years of brutality, no one in Zanu PF can claim they did not KNOW what was going on!
Mugabe has rewarded well all those who have remained faithful to his quest absolute power. He shared out some of it and the spoils with them. Some of the more ambitious like the late Edson Zvobgo wanted to have a shot at the top job and vended their frustration but to no avail. Others found themselves holding position far beyond their ability and were content.
As thinking humans, I am sure, all Mugabe’s cronies must have been uncomfortable with contemptuous way Mugabe treated them. Of course Mugabe treated the public with total contempt, as if they were stupid morons – just as the whites had treated blacks before independence. All those who had signed up to Mugabe’s agenda knew that was going to happen but they did not think Mugabe would treat them too with the same contempt. Parliament, Cabinet, Politburo, etc. these are all empty titles with no real power. All power is invested in one man, Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
There must be times, many times – particularly in the last few years when the economy was in free fall and there are so many skeletons – when Mugabe’s followers must have asked themselves why they allowed themselves to be led down this dead end!
The security chiefs have enforced Mugabe’s dictatorial will on the people. Whilst all the other Mugabe cronies are guilty of mismanagement and corruptions, the security chiefs are guilty of all that too but worse still, they have blood on their hands! They had warned that they would not salute a “puppet”, a reference to Tsvangirai. They are absolutely determined that Mugabe stays.
Mugabe and all those who were with him during the fight for independence were heroes and heroines and the nation honoured them as such. Rightly so too! But when they returned to Zimbabwe and turned the gun on the people to impose their dictatorial will they turned themselves from heroes into common criminals, villains. Now they are holding the whole nation to ransom –openly defying the expressed will of the people - like thugs and criminals they are!
Mugabe was always a thug fighting for a just cause did not change his nature, now that the years of darkness of his dictatorships are finally drawing to a close the true nature of the beast, well hidden for all these years, is coming out! “Renemanyanga, hariputirwi” as we say in Shona.
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