Zimbabwe's Mugabe Drifts Even Father Towards Dictatorship

Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, has taken a new step drifting even father towards dictatorship. The parliament under his control has stretched his term by another two years. Unlike South Africa, which has remaimed a far more democratic state, Mugabe's Zimbabwe has become virtually as bad as some other African continent dictatorships. Mugabe once claimed that he would rule Zimbabwe for the next 100 years, and after surpressing political opposition and opposition parties, Mugabe is well headed down the path of becoming an African continent Fidel Castro.

Mugabe holds a claimed 8 educational degrees, however 6 of these are from "distance learning" educational institutes. He was the leader of the Marxist Maoist influenced ZANU army of the 1970's that was heavily financed by China to overthrow the White government of Ian Smith. After intervention by Henry Kissenger, the White government stepped down and free elections were held in Zimbabwe. Mugabe assumed power in 1980, but has steadily ridded himself of political opposition to retain power.

Mugabe tried to reform the social situation in Zimbabwe with radical land reform policies that were not really very fair or very well thought out. But other policies such as his claim that HIV does not cause AIDS have hindered AIDS control efforts in his nation. And extremist attacks on homosexuals on "moral" grounds were little more than genocide against this minority group of citizens. Mugabe has proven himself to be a bad leader, and without free elections, no better political alternatives exist. South American troublemaker, Hugo Chavez, has embraced Mugabe, like other rotten world leaders he supports.

Problems such as poverty or AIDS in African continent states are only worsened when bad political leaders like Robert Mugabe complicate these problems with their terrible leadership. Zimbabe needs political opposition parties, and a government that rules through effective leadership on issues like poverty and AIDS, not one that rules by dictatorship, torture and starvation as political weapons. South Africa present a far better role model of moderate democracy in the region.