The end of an era

Mugabe’s removal from power prevents a dynastic legacy in African politics

Robert Mugabe will be remembered as the man who never wanted to give up power, and that will be slightly unfortunate. He was a freedom fighter and was the man responsible for ousting minority white rule in what was once called Southern Rhodesia. He led the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) backed by China’s Chairman Mao in a low-level conflict with the segregationist state, whose unilateral declaration of independence in 1965 was in response to British Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s attempt to move the country towards majority rule. This was finally achieved in 1980 when the nation-state of Zimbabwe was formed after years of conflict. However, even though he was a hero of that nation’s independence, he became a tyrant. Like many other parts of Africa, tribal loyalties were greater than national identity and ZANU was identified with Mugabe’s tribe, the Shona. A low-level civil war with the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) associated with the Ndebele tribe eventually led to a massacre of over 10,000 citizens. Yet, Mugabe’s reputation was not tarnished by these moves, and also managed to neuter all his rivals, particularly Joshua Nkomo. And for the first half of his rule, Mugabe, despite being a committed socialist of the Maoist variety, kept Zimbabwe growing and maintained peaceful race relations with the white minority. But with disgruntlement among his rural support base at the slow pace of economic growth for them, he began a policy of appropriation, often violent with several white-owned homesteads attacked. And despite international condemnation, he was unrepentant. With a wink and nudge, South Africa’s ruling party, the African national Congress (ANC), backed him.

However, even South Africa’s patience began to run thin as the appropriation policy started to have an impact on Zimbabwe’s economy and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans crossed into South Africa exacerbating economic issues in that country. Matters became so bad that it is estimated that over 95 per cent of Zimbabwean youth are unemployed. But even then, Mugabe stayed onto power, often using violence and the state’s police and Army to stay in power even as he turned 90. But it was the love of his second wife, Grace Marufu, whom he wanted to succeed him and that is what finally turned the military against him.  Much like other African dictators Mobutu Sese-Seko and Muhammed Gaddafi, Mugabe had outstayed his welcome and driven his country to the precipice. By preventing a Mugabe dynasty, the Zimbabwean military can pull the country. Blessed with natural resources and immense natural beauty, Zimbabwe can recover. One only hopes that the military and political leaders of the country now can save that nation.