open Democracy News Analysis - what future for zimbabwe? - Comments

Not logged in Lawrence Efana on "Zimbabwe: the day democracy died "

Not logged in Lawrence Efana — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:51:37 +0100

Zimbabwean talks are on. Certainly many are anxious and want negotiations to bear fruits respecting democracy but not fail taking into consideration the African situations. I glossed recently at the book: Ohlson, T., Stedman, J. S., & Davies, R. (1994), titled "The New Is Not Yet Born - Conflict Resolution in Southern Africa". One among others, on the burden and pains of history - the psychology of which must be overcome with respect for democracy. Rather than blame and caricature the efforts, we should instead think deeply and be patient for negotiations' result that will be sustainable during and after the transition periods. Democracy as a 'social contract' theme is hardly aloof history. Drawing a parallel with the Kenyan experience and the option at that time, we should be thanking the former United Nations Secretary General for the foresightedness on behalf of Africa and the world. The "lots" in Zimbabwe might not be any different. Let us carefully and reasonably encourage those individuals and groups leading the negotiations, by appreciating their efforts and hoping for the best of compromise feelings that will help the races and peoples to co-exist fruitfully and peacefully. "Added with the deepest sense of humility and call"!

Lawrence Efana [Finland]

Not logged in on "Zimbabwe: a tale of two leaders "

Not logged in — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:39:40 +0100

there should be elections in every five years & all should have right to vote if he/she is of lower casts.no one should rule more than five years like morgan .

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:19:03 +0100

The failure of Zimbabwe is an indictment on African leadership. We as African people lack the integrity to create a political system that we can be proud of. Our socio-economic environment makes it absolutely impossible for the pupalace to trust our electoral processes. Our leaders do not have the integrity to deliver on their promise. Instead of owning up to the challenges and roadblocks our economies faces in the world market, they blame the opposition ideas and their proponents. They assasinate the characters of their rivals. During elections years, the real issues of the continent are shoved to the background and personal attacks become the subjects of debate. Mixed these negatives tactics with ethnic inequality, religious difference, illiteracy and you have a perfect recipe for pre and post election conflict.

True democracy is possible in Africa. The first step to achieving this democratic dream for Africa that the citizens across Accra, Kumasi, Abidjan, Deban, Sowato, Timbuktu, Bumjubura, etc, must be made to understand that they are part of the political system. We must find a way to empower the electorate to believe that the power of our democratic system is in their hand.

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:59:02 +0100

Zimbabwe is independent country, people of country chose their own government. If they choose Mugabe, he may trayant, not giving freedom of speach, that is that countriy`s problem.Why whole world crying unjustice unjustice, that Idont understand

If you watch myanar, China,or any other dictators who are rulling in different countries,same story you findout.What about U.S.A?. Is President Bush elected by demoratic way in last election?
Observe all democratic countires are politicans not manipulate their citizens? True democricy is really utopia,.never .you can see in practice.
Live and late give us living chance that is world histroy.So donot futily cry for Zimbabwe`s plight

Not logged in on "Zimbabwe’s election: an African appeal"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:28:42 +0100

Zimbabwe's elections have come and gone. In spite of the efforts a free and fair presidential election failed. The first round, including the parliamentary election was not free and fair either, but the opposition (MDC), we are told gained a narrow parliamentary majority. A major question, I guess many individuals and groups interested in Africa will be asking now is: where and how the country: Zimbabwe, is to move forward from here? This is the concern of those waiting to see President Robert Mugabe let-go the pains of history, the psychology of human frailties, give-in and open his heart to embrace the idea of a broadly defined political, social and economic team-work. Even the stunt nationalist in today's world has to re-evaluate the definition of commitments to members of the civil society, more-so when the travails of dominant rule show that there is indeed no other option.

When the continent is slowly transforming itself as he is seeing, it does not tell good to remain politically adamant, inflexible and rigid. On this count, let me say that the international system should be grateful to the South African Government and people within the frame of the Southern African Regional Network. I do not see anything wrong with their diplomacy in so far as Zimbabwe is now the center of concern. They know what it takes to ride the storms of democracy.
I commend the attempt by the leaders to manage the Mandela spirit and no less the individual and collective engagements of eminent Africans within and beyond the organizational frames of the African Union. In trying to set what has gone wrong in Zimbabwe right, pressures from different sources have been necessary at the same time as many also call for moderation and more engagement with intensive negotiation efforts, likely to lead to the type of transitional assembly and government in which all the parties join actively in reviving a country that has been run down. Conflict is obviously nothing to feed on. There has to be an alternative way! About this President Mugabe knows for sure that it is not a pleasant thing to ride on the storms for as long as he has done. The time for reconciliation and peace is at his doorway.

I live here in a beautiful region of the world called Scandinavia, made up of the countries: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Peace and reconciliation is a way of life here. You see that in the modes of government consensus policies and even in the relations between the labor unions and employer associations. It is a pulsating world of negotiations and "reasonable" calm! Riding in the storm as President Mugabe does is not in anyway recommendable. Let me add also that in the small beautiful community and the block of flat in Finland where I live, I have noticed that sparrows [a range of birds] love to fly [ride] when the storm is ragging and the rains are pouring down. I enjoy watching them in my green environment here, but one lesson I learn from them is: they are very flexible. Hardly do they fail to sense and understand the direction of the wind storming. You feel it as they merry and appear to sail easily when in actual fact a storm is ragging. Storms are of different strengths, I understand. You might not win if you unwisely make too much fuss about them. Accepting democracy could also mean that you learn how to sail in the storms not hurting yourself and your civil society.

As we work ourselves towards a changed global world, let me seize the opportunity to say to Open democracy website "Well done". Nigerians are fond of saying "Many greece to your elbow"! I am saying so! Visiting the site is like bringing the "Hyde Park" in London home to people. The Britons are indeed lovable and wonderful, not the least, when the BBC brings home to people themes like "Hard talk" and "World Debate".

Lawrence Efana [Finland]

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:40:21 +0100

Human Security is a central issue in all this. For how long should states be left alone under the guise of sovereignty to visit atrocities on the populace because of political differences. In a world that seeks political inclusion as a primary human right, how do we justify the continued existence of the AU if it stands by for an election like took place in Zimbabwe to gain legitimacy? That is a question.

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:54:43 +0100

Maybe Mugabe wanted to hold a real election but besides his own ties to family and their dependents, are those who surround and support him. Once you have destroyed the economic base of a society as thoroughly as Mugabe has done there is no way these clients will expose themselves and their dependents to the beggary of those outside the ring. For reasons I am unclear about we make a noisy fuss about Zimbabwe. The same obtains in many other African societies. I'd say that it obtains in all those countries who will not openly criticise him. If the aid industry isn't a part of the solution I have no idea what is to be done. Nor apparently does anyone else.

Martin Rosendaal

johnevans7 on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

johnevans7 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:18:39 +0100

Zimbabwe resembles Yugoslavia more than Afghanistan. It also resembles Rwanda, which is a terible thought.

UNFOR is a nice idea that 'unfortuantely' doesn't work. Particulary when its soldiers stand by and watch people get massacred.

So instead of wringing our hands and dreaming up a European solution to an African problem, we should be providing the oppressed, with the wherewithal to remove the oppressors, AK47’s.

Then, as has been done in the Balkans, create workable mini states based on ethnicity, and not on something drawn up in a tent by Cecil Rhodes.

Last, but not least, let's get Mugabe's all expenses paid trip to the Hague organised now.

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:45:27 +0100

The problem of external intervention for all the best reasons has bedevilled developing Countries for the past 30 or probably 40 years. We were aware of it in Kenya in 1975 when we crossed the Sahara and met returning dissallusioned volunteers from Intermediate Technolgy, who had applied Co-operative principles to Coffee plantations combing growth and processing. They watched quality slump and prices fall, leaving the indiginous people bankrupt and in debt. There conclusion was to support the democratically answerable institutions with money and tools of their choice and expect a period discovery with success and failure equally blessed and supported.

It is a long time ago and would be delighted to be told that I had got it wrong, but at a macro level this article would seem to confirm my worst fears!

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:17:56 +0100

This article is spot on. There is a whole industry of 'aid' which can skew local economies, and create opportunities for jealousy and corruption. Governments have their problems too - often corrupt and lacking skills and capacity. So it is understandable that aid agencies have often sought to work outside of government processes. But the longer term vision has to be to enhance the legitimacy and capacity of government rather than undermining it. I hope this article will be widely read.

Not logged in on "The right and wrong fix: Afghan lessons for Zimbabwe"

Not logged in — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:24:08 +0100

Simple..The people of Zimbabwe in free elections elected Mr Mugabe at least three times. He was their choice, and incidentally the desired candidate of the British Labour Party. Peter Hain wrote recently at his exceitment on hearing of Mr Mugabes initial victory. They were the richest of Africans, and despite incedible odds against sanctions, they were a Country who provided the highest standards of living, infant mortality outcomes etc for its people and it neighbours. When people chose Mr Mugabe they were told by some that there would be a terrible price to pay, so it has come to pass. Zimbabweans must make their own future, surely it in not for any Western power to risk our Troops to try to 'Right' a terrible mistake the Zimbabwean electorate made.

srigotti on "Zimbabwe’s election: an African appeal"

srigotti — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:09:00 +0100

Eminent people. From one of your own signatories. Very Mugabe-like justification?

In a media release to "set the record straight", Vavi, the general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), said he was talking about the willingness to lay down one's own life for a struggle comrade.

"I went further to say yes, for one another and for our leaders we are prepared to lay down our lives. Yes, for our revolution we are prepared to shoot and kill. I singled out [African National Congress leader] Jacob Zuma to make an example.

"I said because Jacob Zuma is one of us and is one of our leaders, for him and for our revolution we are prepared to lay down our lives and for him we are prepared to shoot and kill."

Not logged in on "Zimbabwe: the day democracy died "

Not logged in — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:37:49 +0100

We must co-exist. Africa and the world cannot allow democracy to die in Zimbabwe. There will and must be a way to broker the situation. Peace and calmness should lead the way to dealing with the psychology of disillusionment and power. Luckily the world is getting to better understand and deal with problems of this kind so we only need to work hard on reconciliation and there God will do his own work.

With great humility!

Lawrence Efana [Finland]

srigotti on "Zimbabwe’s election: an African appeal"

srigotti — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:45:59 +0100

Eminent people. The too late has happened (Morgan has gone). Do we hear any more comments or is this the African way?

srigotti on "Zimbabwe’s election: an African appeal"

srigotti — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:56:34 +0100

Eminent people. Too little, too late, too timid.