Zimbabwe - A country in transition or turmoil?

Zimbabwe has been a country in transition since Robert Mugabe was elected its leader in 1980.  If I were to have written that statement a few years ago I might have replaced the word transition with turmoil; Zimbabwe has been a country in turmoil since Roberta Mugabe was elected its leader in 1980.  Today I am a less sure and more confused if what has taken place in Zimbabwe is turmoil or transition.  I have visited Zimbabwe on many occasions.  My first visit was in 2002 and my last in 2011 with a couple of visits in between during that nine year span.  I have read article after article, watched countless numbers of documentaries, and had the pleasure of speaking to many of Zimbabwe’s people; black and white.  My opinion usually doesn’t sway like the breeze but it does on the subject of politics in Zimbabwe.

During the 1890’s The British South Africa Company initialized colonization by whites.  Not long after the country was named Rhodesia under the leadership of Cecil Rhodes.  As was the case in many European colonies in Africa, white immigrants took privileged positions in society.  The local white minority entrenched politics as well as enjoyed economic and social dominance.  Most prime farmlands were owned by whites.  Senior positions in public service became reserved for whites and more.  As time passed the situation became more and more unwelcomed and intolerable by the majority ethnic groups.

Like Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe spent many years as a political prisoner under Ian Smith’s  (Prime Minister from 1965 – 1979) Rhodesian government of white rule.  Also like Mandela, Mugabe was elected leader of his country.  But that is about where the similarities end.

Victoria Falls

Robert Mugabe, who has degrees in education, economics and law, stayed out of mainstream television news here in the States for much of his early years as Zimbabwe’s leader.  We knew the country as the breadbasket of Africa exporting wheat, tobacco and corn to the rest of the continent and beyond and land of the great Victoria Falls – one of the seven natural wonders of the world – and a destination to go see some of Africa’s greatest wildlife. 

That started to change in 2000 when Mugabe ordered white farmers to give up their land.  Then in 2001 he announced a countrywide shift to socialist-styled economy after twelve years of a market-driven one.  In 2002 the EU and the US imposed targeted sanctions on Mugabe and some of the senior political party members after widespread reports of human rights violations. 

My first visit was in January of 2002 – a time when I knew very little of what was going on.  My first questioning moment in Zimbabwe was being told – while visiting Victoria Falls – not to speak of politics.  I was also told there was an “official” exchange rate for your money which was set by the government at thirty-eight Zimbabwean dollars to one US dollar – which was the rate you got if you used a credit card.  But if you went to the underground market you could get a much better exchange rate for your US dollar.  Without going through a mound of journal entries I believe the rate was thirty-eight hundred Zimbabwean dollars to one US dollar; a HUGE difference.  Those two things were my only indications that anything out of my norm was happening in this country.  People seemed happy.  Tourists were a plenty.  Stores were filled with goods.

 I was back again later that same year and noticed a sharp difference.  Stories were circulating like, “If you see Robert Mugabe’s motorcade coming you have to move out of the way as they will just run over you; mow you down.”   Newspaper reporter spoke of his ego getting in the way of his ability to make sound decisions for the country and her people. 

Regardless, in June of 2002 Roberta Mugabe was elected to another six year term as President.  

 There was much debate as to whether the election was fair or not as there have been with every election since; but in each he has won. 

The years of 2003 and 2004 saw white farmers forced off their land.  The country suffered the worst famine in sixty years.  The Human Rights Watch stated that starvation was being used as a tool for the regime’s support among Zimbabweans.  Farm output decreased sharply.  Tourism fell off almost completely; tour companies not willing to risk taking clients there.  In 2005 he ordered a slum clearance operation – basically mowing down informal settlements leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless; local black people – not whites surprisingly enough.

Robert Mugabe again won elections in 2008 in what was a chaotic turn of events – his opposition dropping out of the race.  He was now on his sixth term as President.  Now though he was suffering from sanctions and stripped honorary degrees and titles.  The world was against him.  His country was also in a state of hyperinflation.  The exchange rate was then four-hundred and seventy-one trillion Zimbabwean dollars to one US dollar.  Yes – trillion.  They were printing trillion dollar bills, but one of those bills couldn’t even buy a loaf of bread!

In 2009 Zimbabwe started using the US dollar as currency.  During my re-introduction to Zimbabwe in 2011 the Zimbabwean mega bills were being sold to tourists on the street as souvenirs, and sold in tourist shops folded into Christmas ornaments, earrings and more.  During that visit it seemed little had happened or changed during the years in-between my visits but much had and many locals - black and white -wanted to discuss the subject. 

I ended up having such a great time in Victoria Falls – with the exception of almost being killed by a hippo on the Zambezi River – that I extended my stay.  And although every local I talked to had varying opinions of what had happened over the prior ten years and of Robert Mugabe himself, the one consistency was a feeling of hope for the future of the country.  The citizens of Zimbabwe seemed to feel they had come through the worst of times.   

Michael & I riding an ele in Vic Falls

Just this month Robert Mugabe was reelected and again the debates raged as to whether the election was fair or not.  And this month I read a supplementary magazine to one of the African political periodicals I subscribe to that focused solely on Zimbabwe.  The magazine confirmed that I am not the only one with swaying opinions.  Seemingly each page differed in views each explaining their view with convincing tone.  The one article that stood out though was an interview with the Minister of Youth Development, Indegenisation and Economic Empowerment.  A gentleman named Saviour Kasukuwere. One of his enlightening statements was, “…remember, success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.” 

I believe – today – that Robert Mugabe meant well in his campaign to turn the tides of land ownership, giving back land and rights to the indigenous peoples of Zimbabwe.   I believe though he didn’t always go about it in a way that was fair to all; sometime even ruthless, causing unnecessary suffering of many of his own people; the very people he was supposedly trying to help.  More importantly, I believe the future for Zimbabwe is bright for all the people there.  As a tourist, I hope to visit again and see more of this beautiful land.