Robert Mugabe, ‘leader’ of Zimbabwe sells that country to the world as a democracy.

A democracy is where the power of any given State lies with the people, and is based upon the people being able to vote freely and fairly as to who might govern them.

“Democracy is a form of government in which state-power is held by the majority of citizens within a country or a state. It is derived from the Greek δημοκρατία (dēmokratía), “popular government”, which was coined from δῆμος (dêmos), “people” and κράτος (krátos), “rule, strength” in the middle of the fifth-fourth century BC to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens following a popular uprising in 508 BC.” (Wikipedia)

In March last year, the people of Zimbabwe spoke loudly and clearly when they rejected the ZANU PF rule which has been in place since April 1980.

Mugabe and his cohorts decided that the choice of the people was to be defied, and in the Presidential election, they showed their hand, slaying at least 130 supporters of the MDC.

A year later, we see Mugabe - as President - based upon an election that was quite evidently not free nor fair.

“A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator, without hereditary ascension; a government controlled by one person or a small group of people; in contemporary usage, dictatorship refers to an autocratic form of absolute rule by leadership unrestricted by law, constitutions, or other social and political factors within the state.

For some scholars, dictatorship is a form of government that has the power to govern without consent of those being governed, while totalitarianism describes a state that regulates nearly every aspect of public and private behaviour of the people.” (Wikipedia)

What could possibly illustrate the iron fist with which he rules, than events in Bulawayo this morning (Wednesday, 17th June 2008)?

“Members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) marched through the streets of Bulawayo today to mark International Refugee Day, commemorated annually on 20th June. Four simultaneous protests began at 12.30pm under the theme - real people, real needs. The four different protests began at different locations, one of which was outside Bulawayo Central Police Station, converging on the offices of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper to test if media freedom exists in Zimbabwe today.

Three of the four simultaneous protests, including the one that had started outside the police station, arrived at the offices of the Chronicle at which point they were attacked by uniformed police officers who brutally beat them, arresting many. The fourth demonstration was stopped en route by police who also viciously beat the peaceful protestors. At this point, we are still trying to verify how many people have been arrested and how many require medical treatment.

WOZA traditionally marks International Refugee Day as we believe Zimbabweans are refugees in their own country - displaced, unsettled and insecure. Government is still targeting informal trading, the only means of survival for most people and so many find themselves unable to provide for themselves and their families. Informal traders are harassed by police, their produce often looted and stolen. In a country where all goods and services are now charged in foreign currency, the inability to earn forex places the vulnerable even more at risk and forces more and more Zimbabweans to flee their country of birth to try and provide for their families. Through these peaceful protests, WOZA is reminding the inclusive government and the world that the people of Zimbabwean remain the victims of this crisis - it is time to put the needs of the people first. ALL Zimbabweans deserve to enjoy the full rights of citizenship; amongst others, the right to earn a living, the right to personal security and the right to adequate shelter.”

So - which is it? What is Zimbabwe today - a democracy, or a dictatorship?

Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man