BOTSWANA President Ian Khama could not have said it better when he urged President Robert Mugabe to step down for the good of the country and its people.
Source: Khama nailed it; Mugabe now a costly liability – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 23, 2016
Comment: NewsDay Editor
In fact, what Khama said confirmed what millions of Zimbabweans have always been saying that at 92, Mugabe had become a costly liability to the country, an albatross around the necks of this great nation.
What makes Khama’s call for Mugabe to step down more palatable is that this is coming from a leader whose second five-year term in office ends in 2018, when he will hand over to Vice-President Mokgweetsi Masisi in a clearly defined succession matrix that makes instability almost impossible.
Yet, there are some among us who claim to support him simply for political expediency and to facilitate stripping of national assets!
It is true that there are many Zimbabweans and other nations that admired Mugabe for his role in the fight against colonialism, but when a leader fails to read the minds of his followers he becomes just as bad as the old system that he was fighting.
Instead of being a liberation fighter he has morphed into a political demagogue, loathed by the impoverished millions as worse than the oppressive regime of Ian Smith.
Is this what Mugabe fought for? Is this what he wants —that even his family will never know peace after he’s gone simply because of his unreasonableness.
As a leader, Mugabe should have known when to go. Right now it is clear that he has now outlived his usefulness, straining relations with all the regional countries as millions of Zimbabweans flood their countries in search of jobs to provide for their families.
Besides, Mugabe’s continued rule has done more harm than good. The Zanu PF administration has created more enemies than friends even among his African counterparts.
We believe Khama is speaking on behalf of other African leaders who do not have the spine to speak their mind for fear of antagonising the nonagenarian leader.
Is it not ironic that at the United Nations General Assembly in New York Mugabe spoke about good leadership and treatment of refugees, yet he’s pushing millions of Zimbabweans to other countries through his brutal rulership?
With huge numbers of undocumented Zimbabweans in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia there is no doubt that most regional countries have to cater for them — something not budgeted for.
Clearly, Mugabe’s bad leadership is putting a strain on the regional countries. An estimated 100 000 Zimbabweans migrated to Botswana in the wake of Zimbabwe’s economic and political crises. The same applies to other regional countries and the West.
We believe Khama is right after all — the situation in Zimbabwe is a cause for concern, and that if it is not tamed the country can easily gravitate towards anarchy. We have no doubt that the situation in the country is beyond Mugabe’s ability given his vegetative state due to his advanced age.
Someone must stop Mugabe urgently otherwise Zimbabweans should brace themselves for more hardships ahead as Zanu PF has failed to rescue the country from the economic predicament it finds itself in.
It is an abomination for Mugabe to seek a fresh mandate in two years’ time when he would be 94. Given the unemployment rate is 90% of mostly youth, Zanu PF league must urge their leader to stand aside in the interest of the country.
COMMENTS
Everyone seems to trigger on Mugabe’s age as to his incapacity to lead Zim. At 92, he has become an unworthy, incapable leader, they say. That’s totally false. Do not blame age for Mugabe’s misrule. Consider how old he was when he instructed the 5th Brigade to commit the ghastly atrocities of Gukurahundi… then explain how Mugabe has EVER been a worthy leader of Zim at any age. Put the blame exactly where it belongs instead of excusing him. He had a free choice between civility and savagery… and his actions have shown which he chose. If someone put a suit and tie on any street thug, and made it impossible to arrest him for crimes, you’d have a duplicate Mugabe.
Correct
True words…I believe when he is gone and the full truth of his evils are exposed even the most fervent supporter will revise their view of his time. His mother was right….she was horrified that he should be the leader of Zimbabwe. Just hope a leader who really cares for his people and is satisfied with his salary can be found.
Mugabe has always been a costly liability!
Mugabe is even more dangerous than he was in the past. His mind is stuck on what he was involved in in the 1960’s and 70’s – the War of Independence is still going on in his senile mind. He may have been mad with what he did in the 1980’s – but he is ready to be worse in his dotage than he was then. He will use his security forces and this time it will not only in Matabeleland and Misdlands. Very dangerous to have a leader with age dementia, The delivery of his speech at the UN indicates why he virtually stopped at time because he does not know how to even read speeches properly – so what use is he as a leader?
There is not any argument that mugabe is a nasty thug! Even when he is dead (day can’t come too soon) I am not sure it will bring much as one only has to look at the calibre of people he has surrounded himself with. You think gorging at the trough has been bad? We may not have even seen the beginning of vicious in fighting, murders, kleptocracy, nepotism, corruption and all round incompetence, arrogance and mediocraty.
Past leaders around the world have been deposed for half of what Mugabe has done… but now other countries just shrug their shoulders at Zimbabwe’s plight and blight. Communist leaders saw an opportunity to ruin a Western-friendly nation, and Mugabe and his thugs were happy to oblige. Now, those who supported that ruin are suffering (although not as much as those who did not support it), so the West is simply saying, “you wanted the change, so enjoy your misery”. Gone is the education, medical care, businesses, jobs, infrastructure, and now the cash… all into the pockets of those you hailed as heroes. They stole it all. See their mansions, their fancy cars, their farms. You see, it was never a revolution to gain freedom for the people… it was a bank heist from the beginning. When they had emptied the vaults, they began to take the funds commissioned for education, medical care, infrastructure, etc. When that was not enough for them they began taking the businesses, farms, and mines. Still not satisfied, they began to rip off the food aid that benevolent foreign nations were sending trying to rescue the starving people. When the people complained and tried to remove the culprits, Mugabe rigged the elections. Those who wanted Mugabe in power got their wish. Congratulations. Enjoy your “freedom”… you deserve it. Idgits.
Mugabe has been a disaster, period.
Top get things in perspective, so was Ian Smith with his Rhodesian Front.
Difference is, people rebelled against Smith but for some reason, are impotent to do so against a worse regime, ZANU.
Very well said .You nailed the truth as it is .Mugabe is the main problem in Zim and the rest of southern African region.He is shameless, greedy and the biggest lier Africa has ever produced. He pretends to be democratic leader yet is a true evil dictactor . All those who support him is because they are corrupt all they have were stolen , aquired in a corrupt way .They don’t believe in working hard but in stealing , dirty deals ,corruption ,murder ,intimidation and abductions. This is all mugabe does with his friends.For now they are dry clueless, they have run out of ideas of what to steal next ,that’s why they are now focusing on diasporans.
Unless Mugabe is forced out of office, truely Zim will continue to burn and the regions are going to suffer if sadcc continue to keep quiet on the issue of this creaturemadman Bob.
Ian khama is a gay gangster.