Ploy delays democracy

The public jubilation at the prospect of Robert Mugabe vacating the presidency was, as one commentator claimed, “put on steroids” when the speaker of the joint houses of the Zimbabwean parliament read his brief resignation letter.

Mugabe’s bombshell came at the very moment the joint houses were starting impeachment proceedings against him, a process that caused the governing Zanu-PF some headaches. A two-thirds majority was required to carry the motion, and the faction-ridden governing party needed the opposition’s support.

With the president’s bombshell resignation, impeachment proceedings were abruptly ended and renewed jubilation broke out on the streets.

The day before, a spokesperson for the largest opposition MDCT party was very positive about the prospect of joining the impeachment process, thereby ensuring a parliamentary majority, and for that support obtaining assurances of free and fair elections in 2018.

The irony is that with the cancelling of the impeachment process the need for opposition support fell away and, knowing the quality of the ruling party, any assurances about fair elections. Mugabe’s resignation can therefore be seen as his final blow to the opposition, preventing it from getting a foot in the door of democratic governance in Zimbabwe.

The bright future for that hapless country is, as yet, far from assured.

Balt Verhagen Via e-mail