• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

Zimbabwe Marks One Year After Dictator Mugabe’s Ouster

by DC Editors - November 18, 2018

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin
Zimbabwe Marks One Year After Dictator Mugabe's Ouster
Robert Mugabe – image source

VOA ENGLISH

One year ago, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe resigned after 37 years in power. Some Zimbabweans say not much has changed since then, despite vows by new President Emmerson Mnangagwa to allow more freedoms and fix the economy. Officials of the ruling ZANU-PF party say Mnangagwa needs more time.

Zimbabweans last November took to the streets to celebrate after Robert Mugabe gave in to military-led pressure and street protests and resigned, ending his nearly four decades in power.

Protester Omali Magama hoped after three years as a vendor, his bachelor’s degree in archaeology from the University of Zimbabwe was now going pay off. But a year later, he still sells hair accessories and applies makeup in a stall in Harare’s central business district.

He is bitter toward Mugabe and his successor Mnangagwa.

“Comparing what I studied and what I am doing now, I feel robbed actually and kinda degraded,” he said. “What I am doing can be done by any guy. You do not need a degree to do that.”

He said when November came last year, “it was a very emotional moment” for him.

“We thought finally change has come,” he said. “I could not contain the joy. We thought what we have been waiting finally come. But a few months later, up to this day, it was just an illusion.”

Tafadzwa Mugwadi, a supporter of the ruling ZANU-PF party, said people should have faith in Mnangagwa’s administration. He believes everything is pointing to a positive future for Zimbabwe.

“Tere were a lot of things which were happening in our country before this dispensation,” he said, “But here we are with President Emmerson Mnangagwa. A lot of industries are re-opening. If you go in mining areas, there is a hive of activity that shows that Zimbabwe is restoring production once more; we are moving through the right channels.”

Dissent and press freedom

When Mugabe resigned, many Zimbabweans hoped the government would tolerate more dissent and allow freedom of the press. But the early signs are not encouraging. Media Institute of Southern Africa Director Tabani Moyo says restrictions on the media remain in place.

“It is clearly painting a picture of where we are headed,” he projected. “Though there are positive pronouncements that they are interested in moving with speed in reforming the media sector, in terms of practicalities they remain vague and they are nor showing any signs of movement. … So there is no difference whatsoever in terms of where we are coming from the Mugabe regime and the Mnangagwa regime.”

A ZANU-PF official said the Mnangagwa government needs more time to undo nearly 40 years of Mugabe’s rule.In the meantime, the jobless, like Magama, say they can not wait long.

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: International Democracy Tagged With: Africa, Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe

About DC Editors

We are your source for news on the all important effort to establish and strengthen democracy across the globe. Our international team with dozens of independent authors are your gateway into the raging struggle for free and fair elections on every continent with a focus on election reform in the United States. See our Facebook Page and also follow us on Twitter @demchron.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | ALL NEWS | WORLD | Zimbabwe Marks One Year After Dictator Mugabe’s Ouster

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

Courts off the deep end, again

By Andrew Straw February 1, 2023

Closing the courts, shutting down dissent, and violating the rights of whistleblowers. These are not the actions of an open, free society.

The Christian Evangelical Church

By Jack Jones January 22, 2023

I am not against Big Business having a voice, just not all the voices, and especially not an impersonator pretending to speak for God.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

No One In Monterey County Is Good Enough To Serve In Legislature

By Joe Mathews January 9, 2023

California’s “democratic reforms” have left a place as… [key] as Monterey County without any state representation from one of its own.

In America, the Joe-mocracy Rules

By Joe Mathews December 27, 2022

A republic? A democracy? No, our country is an avuncular autocracy run by old guys named joe.

Property Rights, Indiana-Style

By Andrew Straw December 24, 2022

Indiana’s justices have replaced constitutional property rights with ad hominem politics. Replacing them starts with better governors.

To The American Oligarchs: Lay Off Us

By Jack Jones December 21, 2022

No matter how many jobs are ruthlessly pulled out from under us, we are still going to do what it takes to put food on the table.

Indiana’s Irrational Ballot Access System

By Andrew Straw December 4, 2022

Opposing the potential 2024 retention of the Chief Justice Loretta Rush will be key to preventing disability discrimination bad blood in Indiana courts.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden’s Loan Forgiveness program

By Jack Jones November 24, 2022

What is unlawful is the Texas federal judge’s decision to strike down President Biden’s loan forgiveness program, not the program itself.

DeSantis Battles Trump in Florida Steel Cage Match

By Steve Schneider November 20, 2022

We take you now to the much-anticipated DeSantis-Trump steel cage match, in which “DeSanctimonious” has promised to “kick Trump’s ass.”

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

Russian Wagner Boss Acknowledges Comparison With Rasputin

Russian Wagner Boss Acknowledges Comparison With Rasputin

January 30, 2023

Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to comparisons [with]…Rasputin who treated the son of the last tsar for haemophilia.

ChatGPT Is Changing Education, AI Experts Say

ChatGPT Is Changing Education, AI Experts Say

January 30, 2023

Newly-launched AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT is changing the internet landscape. It presents several opportunities, including in education.

Girl Scouts Earn Democracy Badge At Workshop In Salina

Girl Scouts Earn Democracy Badge At Workshop In Salina

January 26, 2023

The workshop assisted Girl Scouts in grades K–10 in earning their Democracy Badge through learning activities on democracy.

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories

January 26, 2023

Sharing personal experiences and pairing them with facts reduces political dehumanization and increases political tolerance.

Study: 2020 Election Resulted In Increased Anxiety And Depression

Study: 2020 Election Resulted In Increased Anxiety And Depression

January 7, 2023

A review of 2020 Household Pulse Survey data reveals that as an election nears, people in [America] report more depression and anxiety.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy