Zims rejoice at Gbagbos fall

“I hope the coalition forces help us also,” he says, echoing the sentiment of revellers here, where the talk is about a brutal crackdown by the government of President Robert Mugabe on dissent and the opposition. The battering of parishioners and tear gassing of a church at the weekend is roundly slammed.

“God is watching,” warns one patron in the corner of the smoky pub, where Moyo (29) catches glimpses of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the satellite TV. Clinton says that dictators should take notice that “they may not disregard the voice of their own people in free and fair elections”. She adds that “there will be consequences for those who cling to power”. The crowd cheers.

The state media has denounced the coalition forces as traitors. The propaganda is that western governments were responsible for the ouster of Egypts Hosni Mubarak and Tunisias Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. But the capture of Laurent Gbagbo, who had refused to step down after losing UN-certified elections in November to Allassane Ouattara, has gripped many people here because they can relate to it.

Moyo says the images of jubilation among Ivorians at the capture of Gbagbo have not been lost on his impoverished, hungry and demoralized friends and neighbours. Zimbabwe is different to Ivory Coast. There is little or no militancy

here. Polls suggest the people believe in the democratic process, but election results have been tinkered with and losers have simply refused to quit.

They have pummelled the opposition into submission. There are no armed rebels here to storm State House if Mugabe refuses to quit. Moyo muses about the possibilities. Mugabes ubiquitous portraits will have to be removed first. Then there would probably be looting of the presidential palace, as happened in Tunisia, and all the luxury cars and mansions of Mugabe’s cronies who have looted Treasury money. He grins at the scenario he has built in his mind.

But analysts have ruled out an intervention force here, and say the revolts in North Africa and the defeat of Gbagbo should teach African leaders to shape Up. The old leaders that are clinging to power have had a wake-up call that they are not indispensable. Dictators can no longer hide behind the smoke screen of sovereignty to commit all kinds of atrocities.

“While many dictators are now having sleepless nights imagining themselves in Ben Ali, Mubarak, or Gbagbos shoes,

people have now begun dreaming about how to kick start their own revolution,” says analyst Ronald Shumba. “They have learned they dont need to rely on opposition political parties or a charismatic leader to appear for their voices to be heard.”