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Summary

Robert Mugabe remains President of Zimbabwe only through corruption of the democratic process and the legal system and through suppression of opposition. Desperate to maintain power and control, he is employing tactics used against guerrilla fighters in Rhodesia in the 70s; then he was a victim, now he is the perpetrator. But while the guerrillas of the 1970s were mainly men and knew the risks they were taking, today’s victims are not just men who vote (but not fight) for the opposition but women and children too.

The international community has done little to prevent Mugabe’s excesses and it is time to act. The G8 leaders who want to help Africa with debt relief and aid, must condition such taxpayer largesse for all African nations on improving democratic performance in Zimbabwe (and other rogue states). Recent reports that President Mbeki will finally act against the Mugabe regime and be supportive of a return to democracy should be seen against years of inaction and similar broken promises in the past. Prime Minister Tony Blair should seize this opportunity to exert pressure on President Mbeki to act in the interest of the suffering Zimbabweans and not the political elite.

Roger Bate is a resident fellow at AEI. Archbishop Pius Ncube is with the Catholic Archdiocese of Bulawayo. Richard Tren is the director of Africa Fighting Malaria.