March 12, 2002

6:07 PM

The inevitable seems imminent. Despite widespread condemnation of the election process, Robert Mugabe seems destined to win the Zimbabwe Presidency 'legitimately'*.

This is terrible, terrible news.

*please read posts here for explanation of ghost quotes.
posted by davehat (9 comments total)

Heretical thought: Why not just hand the country back to Ian Smith?
posted by Erendadus at 6:46 PM on March 12, 2002

The information minister, Jonathan Moyo, said: "This has been an exemplary election in our view. It's absolutely a figment of someone who is staring defeat in the face to say there was disenfranchisement of one voter in Harare," he told state television. "We know there are people with a fatal hatred of the president."

Yes, I'm quite sure that letting it be known that you hate Mugabe is, indeed, quite fatal.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:30 PM on March 12, 2002

Update: Forget imminent. The BBC has declared him victorious.
posted by eszetela at 12:45 AM on March 13, 2002

Yes, Mugabe is a corrupt, stupid, murderous bastard. But the place will get there. Let them make their own mistakes and find their own way with their own corrupt, stupid, murderous bastards. Don't wish white minority rule back on Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was a pile of pants.

[And probably they shouldn't have let those election observers from Chad hang around.
posted by pracowity at 1:10 AM on March 13, 2002

A stolen election. Whatever next!. Young Georgie boy would be proud.
posted by Fat Buddha at 1:46 AM on March 13, 2002

Hrm. From what I understand Mugbe was an exemplary (for africa) leader of the nation up untill a few years ago. Zimbabwe was quite prospourous compared to other nations, untill Mugbe started to get politicaly threatened.
posted by delmoi at 5:09 AM on March 13, 2002

And, of course, now the army has surrounded the opposition headquarters and the blood can begin to flow.
posted by rodii at 5:11 AM on March 13, 2002

I love humans.
posted by dong_resin at 6:45 AM on March 13, 2002

I am sure I was not alone in being delighted when he came to power all those years ago. Funny enough his opponent then, Nkono I think, was regarded as a thug.
Very good article on Zimbabwe here.
Not strictly on topic, sorry. Sort of related though.
posted by Fat Buddha at 8:40 AM on March 13, 2002