UK welcomes Mugabe's fall and promises to "support" - just do not knight Mnangagwa N Garikai

"The resignation of Robert Mugabe provides Zimbabwe with an opportunity to forge a new path free of the oppression that characterised his rule...As Zimbabwe's oldest friend we will do all we can to support... to help the country achieve a brighter future," said British Prime Minister, Theresa May.

Prime Minister, we, the long suffering people of Zimbabwe, thank you and the British people for your support and encouragement. As you are well aware, Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been a cunning but ruthless tyrant who surrounded himself with corrupt and incompetent simpletons who he moulded to suit his selfish purpose. He created and retained a well-oil and well-funded, from looted nation wealth, a de facto one-party, Zanu PF, cum one-man, Robert Mugabe, dictation.

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe these last 37 years with an iron fist. He has destroyed the nation’s economy. Unemployment has soared to 90% plus and basic services such as health and education have largely collapse; they would have disappeared completely was it not for the generosity of foreign donors such as the British government.

Zimbabweans are today the poorest nation in Africa!

Mugabe has corrupted the country’s State Institutions such as the Army, Police, Public Media, Judiciary, etc. for one purpose and one purpose only – to impose his no-regime-change mantra. The country has never ever held free, fair and credible election. Over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans have been murdered by the Zanu PF dictatorship in Mugabe’s 37 years reign of ruin and terror.

Mugabe outwitted and bamboozled the many men and women, we the people risked life and limb to elect into office on the promise they would implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the dictatorship. The nation was at its wits’ end.

Mugabe’s final down fall was brought about by the dog-eat-dog fighting that has consumed the Zanu PF dictatorship as Grace Mugabe targeted first former VP Joice Mujuru and then former VP Emerson Mnangagwa because the two were in poll position to succeed her husband. She was eyeing the post for herself.

The military coup of 15 November 2017 was the climax of the factional war in Zanu PF. The coup plotters were Mnangagwa faction supporters and after Mugabe fire their leader the week before the plotters knew they were next. The coup and all the events that have followed have successfully manged to force Mugabe to resign.

It is important to realise that the Zanu PF dictatorship is still in place because not even one democratic reforms to dismantle it has been implemented or is likely to be implemented. All that has happened here is the dictator, Robert Mugabe, who has been the public face of the dictatorship has been replaced by Emerson Mnangagwa, who was Mugabe’s right-hand man and chief enforcer. Mnangagwa has been involved in most of the looting, the vote rigging and murders committed by the regime all through the last 37 years.

Emerson Mnangagwa has inherited the Zanu PF dictatorship and he is not going to implement any democratic reforms to dilute the dictatorial powers to help his own iron grip on power. We, the long suffering people of Zimbabwe, are hoping that the British government and British people will support us in our final push to get the democratic reforms implemented and thus dismantle the entrenched Zanu PF dictatorship.

There is no restoring the people’s freedoms, human rights including the right to free and fair elections and meaningful economic recovery as long as the oppressive Zanu PF dictatorship boot is on the nation’s neck. We need the democratic reforms implemented as a matter of urgency because nothing of substance can ever be achieved whilst the dictatorship rules the roost.

President Mnangagwa must hold free, fair and credible elections by July 2018, let that be the acid-test to determine whether he is a democrat or a dictator. Until then the British government must hold fast and resist engaging the regime much less Knight Mnangagwa as it did with Robert Mugabe.