
If I were to list Robert Mugabe’s faults, it would be hard to know where to start. From this Africa Review article though, I apparently have to add “bad dresser” and “bad winner” to the list. I can’t say about his outfits (and Kevin disagrees with me, proclaiming them “awesome”), but perhaps the bad winner part of his personality is coming to the fore because he knows he didn’t actually win.
First there was the pre-election reaction to comments made by the US:
“President Robert Mugabe on Thursday rebuked the “insane” US for criticising his push for elections without key reforms and told it to keep its “pink nose” out of Zimbabwe’s affairs. “America must be mad, absolutely insane,” President Mugabe, who is seeking to extend his 33-year rule.”
After the election, he had this to say about whether the election was fair and free:
“We are delivering democracy on a platter,” he said. “We say take it or leave it, but the people have delivered democracy.”
And in case the opposition didn’t get the message, he made it even more clear:
“The 89-year-old ruler, making his first public speech since he defeated long time foe, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, said his win was a victory against the West and their puppets. “Those who were hurt by defeat can go hang if they so wish,” said President Mugabe in a speech delivered during commemorations to honour the country’s liberation war heroes. “Even if they die, dogs will not eat their flesh,” he added. “Never will we go back on our victory.” [Note: this may be a translation error, but what is up with the word “even” here? does he think the opposition is immortal?]
Wow, very presidential. Given the fact that he ran on indigenising more than 1,000 companies and re-introducing the Zim dollar, I’m not optimistic about the future of the Zimbabwean economy.
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