Genuine hero worship, or terror of the tyrant?

First, there was a small birthday party at his Munhumutapa Building offices in Harare last week Monday where he lofted balloons into the air. Then there was the big bash at the Harare International Conference Centre last Saturday. The following day there was a city derby between Dynamos and CAPS United dubbed ‘Bobs 87 Super Cup tournament’.

With one eye on a looming presidential election, Mugabe included all sorts of people on the invitation list who might otherwise have been ignored. Aside from the usual cronies and government officials, young men and women from the youth groups loyal to the ruling party suddenly found themselves in favour.

They do not usually get much attention from the president, but every vote is going to count in this election, which may be just months away. No only are these thugs good at getting Mugabe’s supporters out to vote – they will also prove useful in ensuring that opposition supporters stay away from the ballot boxes.

Tomorrows pungwe is being organised by the 21st February Movement, a personality cult named after Mugabe’s date of birth. The movement has worked hard to whip up enthusiasm for the elaborate personality cult Mugabe has forged during three decades in power. His birthday is like an important public holiday, marked by mass celebrations. State TV went overboard in gushing praises of the President.

Many say the movement succeeds solely out of fear of punishment for failure to pay homage to the tyrant. But the chairman of the movements fundraising committee, Noah Mangondo, rejects that viewpoint, saying: “it is genuine hero worship.”

The song “Happy birthday baba”, sung by Mahendere Brothers, a gospel boyband, was created especially for Mugabe and has been flighted ad nauseum on State TV.

Saturday’s birthday party was enthusiastically celebrated by his ruling Zanu (PF) with a massive party for children, loyalists and diplomats. Some view the celebrations as a particularly perverse taunt – given the poverty engulfing the country.

Mugabe alleged at his birthday party that Finance minister Tendai Biti was stalling the holding of a new election by withholding funding from the constitutional reform process, which must lead to fresh polls.

“We cannot continue to have this kind of impediment thrust in the way not only of the Global Political Agreement but also in the way of governmental activities and programmes. Thats our position,” Mugabe said.

“This year must see us go further in the process. After a referendum we will have an election. We must have a good reason to say those processes are not possible. We can never accept that money is a problem.”

Mugabe alleged that his rivals in the MDC were afraid of elections, and said he would opt out of the GNU and call a snap election if the MDC continues to refuse funding the constitutional reform process. The UN and Western countries have withheld funding to stall early elections and allow time for more political reforms.

Mugabe said: “If others are there to drag the process we will get out of the process, but that won’t be in the spirit and letter of the GPA. Money must be found. Biti must find the money.”