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Save my country from this savage tyrant
Basildon Peta, Independent (UK)
April 05, 2008

View this story on the Independent website

Just when we thought the die was cast, we are plunged into a period of tragic uncertainty. Of course, in Robert Mugabe's world of self-preservation, everything had to be anticipated.

But while the 84-year-old fights for his political life in a presidential run-off only one thing is certain; Zimbabwe's continued slide into squalor and penury.

With militant war veterans vowing to fight tooth, nail and claw to defend "national sovereignty", foreign investors will stay away. Investors already in the country, but put off by new insane empowerment laws as well as the devastating macro-economic framework, will keep their projects dormant. That means business stagnates in the mining sector, a potentially rich sector, after land seizures destroyed the mainstay farming. And if Mr Mugabe rigs his way to victory, these investors will inevitably all flee the country.

In fact, existing investors face a bigger risk. After having seized almost all white land, Mr Mugabe' company nationalisation law now offers him the best possible patronage options. A vigorous implementation of this law ahead of the run-off as a vote-buying gimmick is very likely. Mr Mugabe has already threatened that British firms in the fuel, financial services and mining sectors will be the first to be targeted. They have to give at least
51 per cent to local black people to stay in the country.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's money-printing presses will remain at work as he seeks to reward supporters. Inflation, pegged at just above 100,000 per cent, will inevitably assume even higher levels. Don't expect this to worry Mr Mugabe. While civilised leaders elsewhere will quit office in the national interest, never expect this of Mr Mugabe. The more he ruins Zimbabwe, the more he clings to power.

And so Zimbabwe awaits what will probably be its bloodiest pre-election period. Never take Mugabe's war veterans for granted. Prior to the 2000 elections, they raped young children as punishment for their parents supporting the opposition. After having soundly lost the first round of voting, there is no way Mr Mugabe can win a free and fair second round. He will have to rely on the war veterans to do the bidding for him. Expect more acts of cruelty against the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe.

If ever there was a time Zimbabweans needed the help of the international community to save them from their savage tyrant, that time is now.

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