The Zimbabwe Office of the President has opened up about their ‘game plan’ following the shock end of dictatorships in Angola and Gambia.
As people in the worldover marvel at the prospect of new forms of leadership in the two countries, Zimbabweans are singing “what about us”.
Africa’s well known despots, Eduardo Jose dos Santos of Angola and Yahya Jammeh of Gambia will not be part of 2017 system after they fell by the wayside via voluntary resignation and election defeat respectively.
But Mugabe has made it clear that he will be there as long as he can breathe.
While speaking to reporters yesterday, Mugabe’s office says there are no lessons that it can learn from the winds of change blowing in Angola and Gambia — reiterating that President Robert Mugabe, who is battling old age, poor health and deadly infighting within his ruling Zanu PF, will lead Zimbabwe even to the point of death.
“Why do you think democracy works on copying a neighbour’s example? Suddenly, we are abandoning our systems of democracy to encourage the president to admire a neighbouring State?
“The principle of democracy goes by winning the ballot and the majority voted for him (Mugabe) to be president. The Angolan experience is not a rule book,” said George Charamba, Mugabe’s spokesperon.
Mugabe, 93 in 2 months time, is the only leader Zimbabweans have known since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980.
He is facing the biggest challenge to his rule as he battles failing health, growing civil unrest in the country, as well as rising discontent within his warring Zanu PF party where deadly factional and succession wars are now a common thing as his subordinates prepare for life after him.
Mugabe is yet to name a successor and many fear that he will die in office.
