Mugabe's last days?

Here's hoping:

At long last, President Robert Mugabe's stranglehold on Zimbabwe may be loosening. Throughout his 27 years of dominance, the old dictator's opponents have always risked assault, torture or worse.

[...]

...there are growing signs that Mr Mugabe is finally losing his grip. Never in its 44 year history has Zanu-PF been as divided as it is today. Mr Mugabe appears to be in a state of open warfare with both his party's main factions.

One is led by Solomon Mujuru, a retired general and former army commander who wants his wife, the vice-president Joyce Mujuru, to succeed Mr Mugabe.

The other major faction is dominated by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has served in the cabinet since 1980 and was once a favourite for the succession. But he had a spectacular falling out with the president.

In the past, Mr Mugabe always would have been clever enough to ally with one faction against the other. At the very least he would have turned them against one another and kept each permanently off-balance.

But today, both the Mujuru and Mnangagwa groups appear to have become united against him. There is no other explanation for Mr Mugabe's apparent failure to extend his term of office.

More here about the beating of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at March 14, 2007 11:07 AM