Power Corrupts...Mugabe's Story

''Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'' were the iconic words of twentieth century British historian and moralist Lord Acton(1834-1932), and Robert Mugabe, the current Zimbabwean president, without a doubt is an embodiment of that timeless statement. Even though the last elections held in that country showed beyond reasonable doubt that the opposition party, MDC (Movement for Democratic Change), under the stewardship of Mr Tsvangirai won the most parliamentary seats, the despot has yet again not failed to disappoint as he has been doing for the past 28years:Refusing to relinquish power. Can we for a moment just ask ourselves what it is with African leaders and their intoxication with power and corruption that makes them want to cling to both so tenaciously,that bowing out gracefully when the ovation is loudest seems totally out of the question? And while we are still pondering over that,perhaps another penny for our thought would be the reason western powers appear to fold their arms to watch real dictators like Mugabe cause their own people untold pain, hardship and misery;with countless number of evidences that points at gross human rights abuse,yet the pursuit of phantom weapons of mass destruction in the middle-east seems higher on their priorities list. It is indeed a mystery why this tyrant, a violator of human rights was invited to the recently concluded food summit recently concluded in Rome under the auspices of Food and Agricultural Organisation and the UN to again mount the pulpit and lecture the world on reasons for global food shortage. An irony of some sort considering he is the sole reason Zimbabwean citizens currently starve.

Zimbabwe, a once beautiful country,with rich agricultural history once seen as the food basket of Southern African region of Africa is now nothing but a 'basket case'. With its Inflation rate rising up to a preposterous 100,000% (IMF report) and a constant influx of refugees into neighbouring South Africa. We need to ask ourselves how much longer can the world wait before inertia and apathy becomes a call to arms. The only leader able to influence Mugabe at the moment is none other than Thabo Mbeki , the South African president who for a while has been showing what he calls ''quiet diplomacy'',which in relation to what is on ground is totally unacceptable, considering the plight of the ordinary citizens of the ruined country. 'Quiet diplomacy' in the face of hunger and starvation is like offering an eskimo who is freezing in the northpole ice cold water to drink. So its time for alternative action and measures by well meaning world leaders and not just isolation or further sanctions.

As for Mugabe- when personal gains, delusion of grandeur,thirst for greed and personal wealth outweighs the cries and suffering of those whom he was meant to serve-Power Corrupts. When thirty years in office squandering and pilfering of the nation's resources-diverting public founds into personal overseas offshore accounts, is more important than the lamenting voices of those people who put him office; bestowing upon him their trust-Power Corrupts.

Surely, knowing the African continent with what history has taught us, there could be but only one grand finale to this three decades of disastrous rule- An exit through the ballot( for Mugabe's sake) or an exit via the bullet of another power-hungry soldier.The choice is his.