Situation alarming in several southern African countries

Even as the world eagerly awaits the Zambian general election slated for August, South African internal politics is in hectic mode as campaigns for Wednesday local government polls approach fever pitch.

In the meantime, the alarming situation in several Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries appears to reflect growing problems.

Particularly alarming is the crisis in Zimbabwe where President Robert Mugabe is facing opposition even from quarters where criticism of the ageing and headstrong leader was unimaginable.

Following recent street protests against his regime, Mugabe has in the past two weeks had to contend with opposition from liberation war veterans, who have gone as far as demanding his resignation.

Pulling no punches in their onslaught on their erstwhile deified leader, the veterans surprised many when they came out in their criticism of President Mugabe, whom they described as a despot and accused him of, among other things, “violating human rights, clamping down on dissent and running down the economy”.

What surprised many observers was the fact that the former freedom fighters, who are said to constitute a reserve force in Zimbabwe, and whose association is affiliated with the ruling Zanu-PF party, were bold enough to even demand that the 92-year-old Mugabe calls it quits and hand over to a new generation of leaders.

In the meantime, the economic situation in Mozambique and Angola, two other SADC countries, has been anything but bright.

Given their daunting situations, the two countries have in recent months been counting on bailouts from international financial institutions.

The woes in Mozambique have been compounded by a worrying security situation even as the rift between the ruling Frelimo party and the opposition Renamo continues to widen, with no view in sight of a long-expected rapprochement.

MORE WORRISOME

The situation became even more worrisome last week when international mediators announced a 10-day suspension of the peace talks.

As for Zambia, the countdown to the August 11 general election has been accompanied by uncertainty about whether the polls will be peaceful.

Some doubts about the stability of the country have already been raised, particularly given what is widely viewed as President Edgar Lungu’s clampdown on a section of the media, amid a recent statement that he will jail opponents who question the election outcome.

Poignantly, in recent months the country has been rocked by serious poll-related violence.

The unrest pitted supporters of President Lungu and his governing Patriotic Front party against those of the opposition United Party for National Development, led by his opponent Hakainde Hichilema.

The mounting violence led to a suspension of campaigns by the electoral commission last month.

The Zambian poll aside, the political situation in South Africa has seen the ruling African National Congress (ANC) prepare for a facedown with the increasingly strong Democratic Alliance (DP) party during crucial nationwide local government elections.

As a sign of things to come, DP leader Mmusi Maimane has promised to give the ANC a run for its money come Wednesday.

For good measure, he has reportedly called on the electorate to honour former President Nelson Mandela’s dream of a non-racial country by voting for his party.

Back to Zimbabwe, the restive veterans have touted firebrand Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the man who should assume power.

Not surprisingly, two of their leaders were arrested a week after their statements, amid media speculation that the discomfiture with Mugabe’s regime could well be the beginning of the end for the “grand old man” of African politics.

Certainly, from whatever angle, the future of the country looks anything but bright, and the normally belligerent Mugabe can hardly sit easy.

Matters have been made worse for the regime by the serious economic morass that Zimbabwe has descended into.

The dire economic straits the country is in became clear when the government failed to pay army salaries.

There were reports that other public workers pay was delayed for two weeks last month.

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