Zimbabwe held its presidential election yesterday. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai reportedly polled very strongly against longtime president Robert Mugabe.But the Zimbabwean government has not released the election results yet. Does this mean the fix is in for Mugabe?
From the U.S. government’s Voice of America website:
“The U.S. embassy released a statement warning American citizens in Zimbabwe that a ‘volatile situation’ was developing in the wake of the elections ‘with the possibility of violence across Zimbabwe’ through Sunday night into Monday. It advised American citizens to ‘move to a safe location until the Embassy provides further information.’
“U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in the Mideast, said Mr. Mugabe was a ‘disgrace’ to his people and Africa, voicing concern on whether the elections could be determined to have been free and fair given the scarcity of international observers.”
UPDATE (03/30/08): It’s already Monday morning in Southern Africa. And via the magic of the internets, I’m listening to Johannesburg’s Talk Radio 702. Figure they’ll have some news from South Africa’s neighbor to the north.
As of right now, they don’t. But a news reader reports the obvious, based on the front pages of South African newspapers: The Zimbabwe election is “the overwhelming big story of the day.”
It is so wild to be listening to a radio station on the other side of the planet!
I just read a report that indicated Mugabe is clinging to power despite signs he lost the vote.
ReplyDeleteDamn shame. Mugabe's a crook and a disgrace.
I don't think Mugabe steals elections, rural Zimbabweans like him, why should an election be declared free and fair if he loses?
ReplyDelete... why should an election be declared free and fair if he loses?
ReplyDeleteUhhh... what does that mean?
And which rural Zimbabweans do yoo mean-- those who have been starving as the crops repeatedly fail and the economy continues to drill a hole to the center of the earth or those who have been forcefully relocated by soldiers after their towns are razed and erased from the maps?
ReplyDeleteDave and blaark, I think that anonymous post was sent by one of Mugabe's agents.
ReplyDelete^ Some folks think that way, DeAng. If it meant sticking a thumb in the white man's eye, they wouldn't mind black people starving.
ReplyDelete^Right, Dave. And to me those kind of Blacks are just as bad as any white person doing the same.
ReplyDeleteBTW, what's up with the UBM/Fisher lovefest? Where's the acrimony?:)))
^ ... what's up with the UBM/Fisher lovefest? Where's the acrimony?
ReplyDeleteMust be some Obama "magic Negro" shit happening, I don't know, DeAngelo. Even Nulan is dapping me up these days...
I just heard on BBC that Morgan Tsvangirai's party announced that it had 50.3% of the vote. If confirmed (whatever that means in Zimbabwe) he would avoid a runoff. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
ReplyDelete