i have a friend in zim.
it sounds even worse than what i see on tv. she couldn't find airtime because mugabe kicked out the vendors from certain parts of the city.
and then they transferred cops to work in different communities so they don't feel restraint when they bulldoze houses.
so much for Nepad, AU, SADC and Renaissance.
A lesson in history - when Europe was industrialising, the politicians were also aristocrats, and landed.
so politics was not the basis of their wealth - they had old money. unlike the situation in africa.
around the same time, the new capitalist cla** which emerged was loaded and taking over the world. and they saw that only democracy and a libertarian politics would ensure their individual successes. they wanted to make and keep the 'new money' so democracy became entrenched in the first world.
fast foward to the decolonising africa in the 60's, most of these guys don't have this wealth basis, so they cilng to power.
check out our current deputy president - he has no money of his own. not his fault, system impoverished black people.
but now he draws on populist sentiments to try and deflect his own corrupt (naive sometimes) behaviours.
politics is the basis of his wealth.
hence, i believe give all the politicians an exit strategy in africa so they dont cling to power so desperately. give them BEE like Tokyo
