Robert Mugabes good old friend, Hosni Mubarak, former president of Egypt, is now political history. Deposed by his own people on Friday last week, Mubarak was embarrassed when hundreds of thousands of his fellow Egyptians screamed and shouted insults at him and his cronies for eighteen consecutive days. The question is: can that kind of popular rejection ever happen in Zimbabwe? <There are some people who have recently argued that what happened in Tunisia and Egypt can never happen in a country like Zimbabwe. It is argued that Zimbabweans are too peace-loving, docile and cowardly to stage such a massive resistance to dictatorship.
It is further claimed that the Mugabe dictatorship is not as vicious as some of the Arab dictatorships in North Africa and the Middle East have been. Whether this is true or imagined remains to be seen with the passage of time. History is bound to instruct us accordingly sooner rather than later.
My personal view on this matter is that what the world has been watching on most international TV channels for the past three weeks is quite possible in Zimbabwe. We must not forget that in 1998 Zimbabwe experienced some serious riots in most urban centres, resulting in the Zanu (PF) capitulating on certain policies proposals. Recent outbursts of unprovoked violence perpetrated against innocent Zimbabweans are very likely to eventually result in the people of this country mobilizing themselves to become the change they would like to see.
The call for elections in 2011, when the country is not ready for such a momentous task is a sure way of inviting trouble for its major perpetrators. We all know that Zanu (PF) does not have even a ghost of hope of winning a free and fair election in this country. It is therefore obvious that the former liberation movement intends to resort to indiscriminate political violence in order to cow the people to vote for Mubaraks ageing friend Mugabe and his blasted party. There are now numerous voices that are calling for self-defence and outright retaliation should they be subjected to acts of violence.
The military in Egypt made the professional decision not to take sides in the dispute between Mubarak and his people. It is highly unlikely that the military in this country will ever be that professional. In fact, we all know that both the military and the police are likely to fight against any peaceful resistance to the Mugabe dictatorship. They will be on the dictators side because they are fed by him their daily bread.
But the major lesson from the Egyptian ouster of Mubarak is that people power is invincible in the long run. Yes, in the short run the military and the police in this country will hold sway, kill several scores of people, make others disappear and imprison others. But in the end, these forces will also be defeated by people power.
Mubaraks supporters put up a spirited defence of their benefactor, but they were in such a woeful minority that they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the protesters. In Zimbabwe, the number of people who genuinely support Mugabe and Zanu (PF) is so small that the best they can do when big trouble comes to town is to crawl under their beds and be afraid, very afraid.
Fortunately, most of these people are well known to the general public and will be followed up wherever they will go in search of safety. There will be no place to hide. Mugabe and his family are likely to fly out to Namibia in an Air Force of Zimbabwe aircraft. I can hardly wait for the day. Thank you Tunisia and Egypt for making us realize what is possible with people power. The day of the jackal is coming very fast.
Post published in: Opinions