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Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Misery

Started by Imperator; Last updated Jun 25, 08 6:35 AM CDT by Imperator | View history

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Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Misery

An out-of-control dictator's ugly reign brings a nation to its knees

He led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980 and has effectively been 'president for life' ever since. Under Robert Mugabe's rule Zimbabwe has become an economic basket case due to political corruption and misbegotten economic policies. But after an election loss, Mugabe appears ready to step down.

Stories

Stories 41 - 60 of 141

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June 2008
- Soccer Is Key to Get S. Africa to Play Ball on Zimbabwe
  
  New York Times | Jun 24, 08 8:37 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The last few weeks have further exposed Robert Mugabe as a tyrant—and Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, as a "vacillating, dithering, morally compromised figure," writes Peter Godwin. In an op-ed for the New York Times , the Zimbabwe-born author says that the West must force Mbeki to act by playing its trump card: threaten to take away the World Cup, which South Africa hosts in just two years. More »
- Zuma Calls for UN Intervention in Zimbabwe
  
  Mail & Guardian (South Africa) | Jun 24, 08 6:39 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Jacob Zuma, the leader of the African National Congress and the most powerful politician in South Africa, called today for the Zimbabwe election to be canceled, saying that the situation was "out of control" and that the UN must intervene. In the most forceful denunciation yet of Robert Mugabe by its powerful neighbor, Zuma told a conference that Mugabe's party had betrayed the African liberation movement, reports the Mail and Guardian . More »
- South African Prez to Plead With Mugabe to Save Race
  
  Times (UK) | Jun 24, 08 4:30 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The president of South Africa is is flying today to Zimbabwe to plead with strongman Robert Mugabe to save this week's presidential election after Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew to protest government violence. Britain’s foreign secretary said an uncontested race would be “the most rigged election in African history" and called on nations to refuse to recognize the results, reports the Times of London. More »
- Tsvangirai Hides Out in Dutch Consulate
  
  New York Times | Jun 23, 08 7:35 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Zimbabwe's opposition leader remained holed up in the Dutch embassy in Harare today as police stormed his party's headquarters, the New York Times reports. Officers detained at least 40 people who were there—many of them women and children—the day after Morgan Tsvangirai dropped out of the upcoming election runoff, saying his country was facing a war, not an election: “and we will not be part of that war." More »
- UN Takes Up Zimbabwe Action Today
  
  Guardian (UK) | Jun 23, 08 9:29 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The UN Security Council today will address the struggle for power in Zimbabwe, one day after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai dropped out of the presidential race because of violent intimidation, the Guardian reports. The US, Britain, and France hope to convince China and Russia to condemn Robert Mugabe's government. The EU, meanwhile, is pushing for penalties of its own, and African countries are considering how to proceed. More »
- Tsvangirai Pulls Out of Zimbabwe Race
  
  Associated Press | Jun 22, 08 8:45 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The opposition leader in Zimbabwe's presidential runoff election has dropped out of the race, citing escalating violence and intimidation against his party by President Robert Mugabe's government. Morgan Tsvangirai announced his decision to pull out of Friday's runoff election at a news conference today in Zimbabwe's capital, after thousands of ruling party militants and soldiers in full riot gear blockaded the site of a rally there. More »
- Africa Braces for Zimbabwe Refugees
  
  Times (UK) | Jun 21, 08 9:40 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Zimbabwe's neighbors are preparing for a flood of refugees after next week's election, the London Times reports. About 3 million have already fled Robert Mugabe's regime to South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana. As it becomes increasingly clear that Mugabe will not give up power even if he loses the election, it is feared that millions more will soon be driven out. More »
- Tsvangirai May Drop Out
  
  BBC | Jun 20, 08 6:49 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Morgan Tsvangirai is seriously considering dropping out of Zimbabwe’s presidential run-off vote, an official in his party tells the BBC, in view of the mounting campaign of violence against his supporters and the diminishing prospects for fair polling. “There is a huge avalanche of calls and pressure from supporters across the country… not to accept to be participants in this charade,” said an MDC spokesman. More »
- 'Mediator' Mbeki Visits Mugabe
  
  Guardian (UK) | Jun 18, 08 3:05 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - South African president Thabo Mbeki visited counterpart Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe today, the Guardian reports, an attempt to play the role of mediator ahead of run-off elections June 27. With the UN warning that 5 million could face starvation in a country plagued by political violence, Mbeki's agenda was unclear—particularly since Zimbabwe's main opposition accuses him of siding with Mugabe. More »
- Despite Mugabe, Democracy Is Gaining in Zimbabwe
  
  Wall Street Journal | Jun 18, 08 1:42 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Undemocratic though the situation might seem, the fact that the opposition has forced a presidential run-off in Zimbabwe is a sign of democracy's spread in sub-Saharan Africa, the Wall Street Journa l reports, where the number of "free" countries has reached 11 of 48, up from 3 in 1977. "Democratic change is coming to the forefront faster than institutional change," a Zimbabwean opposition leader says. More »
- Mugabe's Horrors Transcend Race
  
  Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Jun 14, 08 4:22 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Once, Westerners cared about southern Africa. In the late 20th century, outraged Americans of all stripes spoke out against apartheid, an outpouring that ultimately helped liberate both South Africa and Zimbabwe. Now, Zimbabwe is under the thumb of another murderous tyrant—this time a black one—and the West remains strangely and disgracefully silent, writes Cythia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. More »
- Mugabe: Opposition Will Never Rule, Even If It Wins
  
  Independent (UK) | Jun 14, 08 10:05 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - As an opposition leader arrested on charges of treason appeared in court in Zimbabwe today, President Robert Mugabe was declaring that his competitors in the Movement for Democratic Change would never be allowed to rule the country, even if they win the upcoming runoff presidential election, the Independent reports. "We will return to the bush to fight," he told a crowd of youth members of his party. "We can't allow the British to dominate us through their puppets." More »
- My Veterans Are Anxious to Fight, Mugabe Says
  
  BBC | Jun 13, 08 9:32 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Veterans of Zimbabwe’s war of independence are eager to fight in support of the ruling party, says President Robert Mugabe. “They came to my office after the election and asked me, ‘Can we take up arms?’” Mugabe told the state-run newspaper. “They said this country was won by the barrel of the gun and should we let it go at the stroke of a pen?” More »
- Zimbabwe Jails Opposition Leaders
  
  Associated Press | Jun 12, 08 2:57 PM CDT
  
  (AP) - President Robert Mugabe's regime struck at the opposition leadership today, just two weeks before Zimbabwe's presidential runoff election, twice detaining his challenger and jailing the opposition party's No. 2 official on treason charges, which carry the death penalty. Presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai was stopped at a roadblock and held at a police station for about two hours before being released. He returned to campaigning, and was again detained by police. More »
- Mugabe's Militia Burns Enemies' Wives Alive
  
  Times (UK) | Jun 12, 08 10:46 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Zimbabwean opposition leader Patson Chipiro came home Friday to a burning house. “I was trying to put the fire out,” he says. “I thought my wife was hiding in the bushes.” But Mrs. Chipiro was in the blazing house, where militia men loyal to Robert Mugabe had tossed her after chopping off one of her hands and both her feet, the Times of London reports. More »
- Zimbabwe Seizes Food Aid for Children
  
  New York Times | Jun 12, 08 6:12 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Authorities in Zimbabwe seized a truck containing 20 tons of American food aid intended for poor schoolchildren, the New York Times reports, and distributed the wheat and beans instead to supporters of Robert Mugabe at a political rally. After last week's suspension of all humanitarian aid, the seizure of the American supplies, intended to provide lunches at 26 schools, has provoked fresh outrage. More »
- Five Endgames for Zimbabwe
  
  Times (UK) | Jun 9, 08 10:40 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - As Robert Mugabe’s war against his political opponents—and anyone who supports them—intensifies in the run-up to the run-off, Royal African Society Director Richard Dowden breaks down the possible endgames for the London Times . Morgan Tsvangirai takes power, after winning a majority. Odds: zero. Even if Mugabe’s violent intimidation and vote rigging somehow fail, he won’t concede. Mugabe and Tsvangirai form a Kenyan-style unity government. Odds: less than zero. Neither side is interested. More »
- Mbeki's Lost Letter Focuses Scrutiny on Zimbabwe Role
  
  New York Times | Jun 9, 08 9:55 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Last month Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's opposition leader and the victor of March's elections, sent a 4-page letter to South African president Thabo Mbeki asking him to step aside as mediator. But when South African media reported the story last week, Mbeki's camp denied that the letter even exists, much less that he'd received it. The New York Times investigates doubts about Mbeki's impartiality. More »
- Zimbabwe Halts Aid Groups, Detains Tsvangirai Again
  
  Guardian (UK) | Jun 6, 08 6:54 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Zimbabwe today ordered all charities operating in the country to quit their work, saying they would not be allowed to resume until they had promised not to interfere in the upcoming election, the Guardian reports. The government also detained opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai for the second time this week, Reuters notes. Police picked him up at a roadblock today and released him a few hours later, preventing him from attending a campaign rally. More »
- Zimbabwe Detains, then Frees Diplomats
  
  MSNBC | Jun 5, 08 11:22 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Zimbabwe has freed 12 US and UK diplomats detained earlier today while attempting to investigate political violence, MSNBC reports. The US demanded Zimbabwe “explain its actions,” after police tried to run a car full of diplomats off the road, eventually slashing its tires and beating the driver. “We do believe this is coming directly from the top,” said US ambassador John McGee. More »

Stories 41 - 60 of 141

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Images (6)
Videos (1)

President Robert Mugabe is seen at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Thousands of war veterans marched in the streets of Harare in an effort to show solidarity with President... (Associated Press)

President Robert Mugabe addresses party supporters at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) (Associated Press)

A picture taken 19 August 1966 shows Ian Smith, Rebel Prime Minister of Rhodesia, delivering a speech in Umtali. Smith, who led the country now known as Zimbabwe during a guerilla war against his whites-only... (Getty Images)

Robert Mugabe will nationalize the country's mines, with potentially devastating consequences. (Getty Images)

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. (Associated Press)

President Robert Mugabe greets party supporters at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Thousands of war veterans marched in the streets of Harare in an effort to show solidarity... (Associated Press)

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Zimbabwe: President Mugabe threatens to arrest Tsvangirai (NTVKenya (YouTube))

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Background

Ian Douglas Smith
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Ian Douglas Smith 1919-2007, Rhodesian political leader. A cattle farmer who was the son of a Scottish immigrant, he served in the Southern Rhodesia legislative assembly from 1948 until 1953, when he was elected to the federal parliament of the Central African Federation, where he served until ...

» Read more about Ian Douglas Smith at Encyclopedia.com

Zimbabwe
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Zimbabwe , formerly Rhodesia, officially Republic of Zimbabwe, republic (2005 est. pop. 12,747,000), 150,803 sq mi (390,580 sq km), S central Africa. It is bordered on the north by Zambia, on the northeast and east by Mozambique, on the south by South Africa, and on the southwest and west by ...

» Read more about Zimbabwe at Encyclopedia.com

Robert Gabriel Mugabe
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Robert Gabriel Mugabe , 1924-, president of Zimbabwe (1987-). A founder of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) in 1963 and a guerrilla leader, Mugabe jointly negotiated independence in 1979 with Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU). When Mugabe's ZANU won a majority in ...

» Read more about Robert Gabriel Mugabe at Encyclopedia.com

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