Zimbabwe's Coup Did Not Create Democracy from Dictatorship

The Convrsation ^ | August 16, 2018 6.36am EDT | Steven Feldstein

[piasa]

...Mnangagwa struck a conciliatory tone in the months leading up to the election. Declaring that Zimbabwe was “open for business,” he amended a law requiring local ownership of diamond and platinum mines. He signaled his intent to end farm seizures and vowed to sell off failing state enterprises.

He even wrote a New York Times op-ed calling for democracy and equal rights for all citizens.

But Mnangagwa is tied to numerous human rights abuses, including overseeing a series of government-ordered massacres between 1982 and 1986 known as the “Gukurahundi.” An estimated 20,000 civilians from Zimbabwe’s Ndebele ethnic group were killed.

And behind his seemingly reasonable rhetoric, there were signs that Mnangagwa would stoop to win Zimbabwe’s election at any cost.

Human rights groups reported widespread voter intimidation, especially in rural areas, where the government deployed plainclothes security forces to “remind” people to vote – for Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe’s state-controlled media relentlessly broadcast pro-Mnangagwa messages. ...

[rightwingcrazy]

“Human rights groups reported widespread voter intimidation, especially in rural areas, where the government deployed plainclothes security forces to “remind” people to vote – for Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe’s state-controlled media relentlessly broadcast pro-Mnangagwa messages.”

IOW, he’s a Democrat. He’d fit right in to that party these days.

[healy61]

Those “encouragers” need to know they may visit a town, but they might not leave the town. No dinner with the family that night.

[Retvet]

Isn’t it amazing how seldom coupes and revolutions end in more freedoms for the people. The leaders just grab totalitarian power. To bad theh don’t teach this on our schools.

[dfwgator]

“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”