via Mugabe now damaged goods – The Zimbabwe Independent October 30, 2015
FOOTAGE — which went viral on social media — of President Robert Mugabe struggling to go over a small tread on his way to the podium at the India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, yesterday, while almost stumbling in the process as security aides and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to the rescue was reminiscent of his dramatic tumble at Harare International Airport in February.
Editor’s Memo by Dumisani Muleya
Looking at Mugabe (91) being assisted to ascend the dais further confirmed and drove home the message that he is now just too old and infirm, suggesting he is no longer fit to govern at all.
Buffeted by ill-health and frailty, Mugabe can longer continue pretending to be as fit as a butcher’s dog. His infirmity as a nonagenarian is now visible and indisputable. By continuing to deny it, Mugabe and his publicists are now only helping to caricature him, while further damaging his image — whatever is left of it.
In fact, yesterday’s incident is a serious indictment on Mugabe and Zimbabwe as a country.
This year has been particularly bad for Mugabe. His unexpected roller-coaster in Nigeria in May after an ambush by local journalists who confronted him over when he will quit during his counterpart Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration showed he has now fallen from grace to grass.
And then in August, Mugabe was booed and heckled by opposition MPs in parliament during a state of the nation address, creating a sad spectacle and pitiful sight.
Last month he read a wrong speech at the official opening of parliament, also proving he has lost grip on reality and his memory was faltering.
While a new generation of much younger Sadc leaders continues to come and go, Mugabe is still hanging onto power by his fingernails despite reducing Zimbabwe to an economic shambles and a sea of poverty.
While Mugabe was almost stumbling in India, Tanzania’s ruling party candidate John Magufuli won hotly contested presidential elections, becoming the country’s fifth post-independence leader, even if the opposition said the vote was rigged and also claimed victory.
Across the region, there has been in recent years many changes in leadership in countries like Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, except in Zimbabwe and Angola.
What is even more worrying though in Zimbabwe’s case is that Mugabe is not thinking of going anywhere yet even if he is now unable to cope with his hectic schedule and overtaxing duties.
To show that he is only thinking about himself and not the interests of the nation and his people as he always claims, Mugabe last December told the Zanu PF congress: “I am here for as long as I am still sane, with good memory and will power.”
However, yesterday it was a touching moment to see Modi extending a hand to Mugabe who seemed to lose his balance while trying to walk over a step to the stage and almost tumbling.
Modi immediately came forward and held him by the hand as security aides helped move him forward. The episode showed Mugabe is now damaged goods.
Sadly, as a result, focus shifted onto Mugabe’s drama away from a lot of progressive things discussed during the summit, including Modi’s announcement that his country will provide a US$10 billion concessional credit to Africa in the next five years, alongside with a US$600 million grant assistance.
Modi said the credit line will be in addition to the ongoing credit programme in Africa, adding that the grant assistance includes an India-Africa Development Fund of US$100 million and an India-Africa Health Fund of US$10 million.
The assistance will also include 50 000 scholarships available in India over the next five years to support expansion of institutions for enhancing skills, training and learning in Africa’s 54 countries.
After this it’s now more clear Mugabe must just quit in his own, his family and national interest.
COMMENTS
Bob has nowhere to go. His lifeboat is surrounded by shark-infested waters, and the sharks are hungry for revenge.
Joe Cool, you are right. That’s the reason why he would rather die there. He will die the saddest death idiot nonagerian
The Nigerian journalist debacle, ‘breaking the fall’ at Harare airport, being denied participation in Obama’s meeting with African Heads of State at the AU while he was AU chairman, denied entry into Ivory Coast while on the tarmac, re-reading the wrong speech, now foot dragging in India.. Not so happy days.
…the harder they fall.
Doddering old fool mentally deficient and should be in an old age home.
I agree that Mugabe is so old that recently we are waiting to hear anything bad or good to others the death of the old fool. But what we as Zimbabweans we must recall the good days of the so called old fool. Recently we will see Mugabe instead of reading old speech it will be repeating things just as all old people do. Vasekuru must not leave this happen. He must with good will ask for his going out and rest in Murombedzi. We will still visit him there. ZANU PF is betraying him there must be frank with him and ask him to leave and as long as he is alive make him to be the adviser of the state……..
yes i agree to all of the above the western nations should put an age limit on him going to all the summits in the us and other countries..why the zim people dont start a revolt against him is just to pathitic….maybe they just love to wallow in self pity???
For “his own and family interest” obviously Mugabe will not quit. How can he ever detach himself & his family from their usual looting of state resource – which comes with being in the state house? That can never happen.
As for “national interest”, that is even rather too far-fetched. That kind of thing has never existed in Mugabe’s heart or mind in its true sense. The man never had that kind of interest right from the word go, that is even during the liberation struggle.
Remember, this guy did not join the struggle on his own volution, as many have always stated. He had to be convinced / invited to join. Needless to say he only did so after carefully identifying an opportunity to assume the reins of power by hook and crook – which he masterly did.
The old man remains as selfish as ever. Its all about himself & his family.
I dont blame him at all.The blame lies with all Zimbabweans collectively.Instead of facing their problems head on they scatter all over the world and squart in other countries and expect miracles.As long as Zimbos dont participate in revolutionising their country the status will remain the same,and other countries can only go so far to help,because Zim is a sovereign country,wake Zimbos!
As Zimbos we should be ashamed to heap the heavy load of running a country on a 90 year old – it’s pathetic, never mind what the 90 year old man thinks. Should we let our fathers hold the plough whilst we watch from the shed? Those urging the old man on are just plain inhuman, with no shred of respect in them. Period.
But as Africans we should be even more ashamed. 54 countries from potentially the “richest” continent on earth kneeling before an Indian Maharajah for a paltry $37 million/yr each as CREDIT, $11 million each as GRANT and $185k for HEALTH! Such peanuts to serve a billion people, i.e., $2/yr/person!!! And we expect the world to take us seriously!!! We are doomed.
What has happened to us? Have we no more love for our country? How have we become such empty vessels? Honai mashura atakatarisana nawo. Kuti sekuru ve91 ndivo vototalurisa mutoro wekutonga;why r we such cowards, why is our self esteem so low? Ndarwadziwa INI!