By Obert Madondo
The Zimbabwe election of March 29 is unresolved? Nonsense. Zimbabweans spoke. They rejected both Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and dictator, Robert Mugabe, who has ruled the country since independence in 1980.
A few months before the election, Mugabe was assured of outright victory. The opposition was in shreds following a 2005 split that led to two bitterly feuding factions.
A few weeks before the election, Tsvangirai was assured of outright victory. Simba Makoni and other prominent leaders had deserted Mugabe’s Zanu PF party, causing deep chasms and dissention within the party’s grassroots support base.
To the opposition’s further advantage, the economy was in the intensive care unit, registering the world’s highest inflation rate at 165,000 percent. 80 percent of Zimbabwe was unemployed. Chronic food and fuel shortages abound.
The MDC capitalized and blamed Mugabe. The party mounted a US-style campaign that called for change. It saturated the local media with cutting edge advertising. Its candidates traversed Zimbabwe in impressive motorcades and helicopters hired from abroad.
The western media chipped in with the usual relentless anti-Mugabe propaganda and demonization.
A besieged Mugabe limped across Zimbabwe, punching his tired 84-year old fist in the air as usual. At every campaign stop, he screamed the usual revolutionary propaganda which his dwindling crowds only pretended to believe in. Mugabe blamed everything on Western neo-colonialists and their salaried local stooges.
Then a very interesting thing happed on Election Day. Zimbabweans voted for change; they voted for a continuation of the status quo.
Zimbabweans refused to give Tsvangirai a full mandate of 50 plus one percent of the vote. They decided, apparently at the last minute, that he deserved only 47.9%. Zimbabweans confirmed their unwillingness to part with Mugabe too. They gave him a surprise 43.2 % of the vote.
This election was the most peaceful in Zimbabwe’s history. Zimbabweans made it crystal clear that both Mugabe and Tsvangirai are unworthy of the Zimbabwean presidency. They made it clear that Mugabe represents the last detour toward Zimbabwe's final descent into hell, and Tsvangirai, a false democratic beginning.
The pending run-off is unnecessary. Both men should step aside and let Zimbabwe move forward. Their continued presence on the political scene will tear the country apart and kill the future.
