Is Mugabe On His Way Out?

Twice daily, once on the morning and once more in the afternoon all traffic is pushed aside as President Mugabe travels between his home and the State house. He wears a designer suit as he sits in his armored and heavily guarded Mercedes as he travels to and fro where even the point of a finger in his direction will result in imprisonment.

Now he is due to leave on his annual Holiday vacation with his money grubbing, shopaholic wife to one of the few places he is allowed, the Far East. This is his favorite place since the United States and Britain has banned him entry in their countries.

Will he actually leave for his annual vacation? It will surely be a sign of how secure he feels amidst the outrage against him as a ruler. More speculation surrounds this holiday due to the total disarray of his party’s (ZANU PF) annual conference. Many of the delegates dribbled away and Mugabe had to apologize for the delegates food being stolen, a sure sign of the desperation even among his followers.

The U.S. has been urging Mugabe to step down to which he has responded with viciousness, allegedly ordering the secret arrest of 40 activists including a two-year-old child shortly before Christmas. Even with a judge’s order, Mugabe feels he is above the law and refuses to release them. The whereabouts of many are unknown.

With pressure from the U.S. and the endorsement of Britain’s Africa Minister Malloch-Brown, it is predicted Mugabe will step down in 2009. There has also been pay problems for his army and in November his troops actually rioted.

It is my sincere hope that this new year will bring about the changes that Africa so sorely needs, bringing action and hope to the people of Zimbabwe.