Zimbabwe

I too doubt that anything will change for the average person in Zimbabwe. I only hope it's not a case of out of the frying pan etc. However I do think the army has behaved well getting rid of Mugabe but not taking control in a military coup .

I agree kitty the new president is implicated in much that Mugabe has done - as in fact is much of the ZanuPF. I wonder how many of them have sizeable bank accounts overseas? How the army behaves will be interesting - no one seems to be talking about an election any time soon

I have a young man I support in Zim he is very cautious about the future however I personally believe the genie is out the bottle the people have found a voice after 37 years of beatings, disappearances, no money 93% Unemployment there are many very professional highly qualified clever people waiting for an opportunity I want to think that time has come
They have allowed Mugabe a way out giving him ‘a rest’
I have a good feeling about the future all ethnicities are pleased to see him go and I hope there is a bright future for a beautiful country

I wish I could share your optimism

I'm cautiously optimistic, and very hopeful with every thing crossed!

I’d be more optimistic if there were a GE planned and the opposition people currently in exile felt safe to return

I can remember several situations where populations took to the streets with joy, but the future was not as rosy as their hopes.

We can only hope that this will be different, but I do not feel able to be optimistic at this stage. How wonderful it would be if their dreams came true.

I heard on C4 tonight that elections are planned for next year - that will be the test.

At least there may be meaningful elections in the future, and that will be something.

I am very wary about this new regime, glad that Mugabe has finally gone but concerned the new leader may have similar ideas, I hope I am proved wrong.

Well - we’ll see. There’ll be no meaningful election without a meaningful opposition.

It may not be perfect but don’t think there will be another dictatorship there anytime soon.

I wish I were so confident - you have read up on the new president haven’t you? He’s implicated in the corruption and the killings and is only in power now because the army back him for the moment- that’s not very reassuring is it? Who exactly is in charge?

At the moment, the army.

Exactly.

And they have the guns

Few things could be worse than having Mugabe in charge.
He has wrecked that lovely country.

The new President was once an insider, pigging it in the same trough as the Mugabes. He has a very unsavoury reputation for being responsible for all kinds of atrocities. He only looks a saviour because he overthrew Mugabe after he ceased to be in the golden circle. There is no reason, in principle, why his Presidency should not just be more of the same.

There is also the danger that the army having interfered in politics once, with such success, may do it again, so you get an army run state with a civilian government wallpapered on the front it to hide it.

On the plus side has been the demonstrations and widely expressed hopes of Zimbaweans. If the new president or army do try the more of the same game, they could rise again.

My hope is that the open expressions of Zimbabwean's hopes for a democratic government and the demonstrations of the visceral hate of Mugabe shown over the past week will give the new government and the army pause for thought and that some level of proper democracy will ensue

I agree with your hope MOnica!

Most posters seem to agree with my take on things. So, DSil will have me to deal with should he think of following any of his family who might be rash enough to go 'home'.

I hope they are all sensible enough to wait and see what happens.

The army generals are in cahoots with China so maybe they are the real puppet masters in all this. I don't think western democracy will ever fit Africa or many other countries either.

I lived there for eight years. Nothing will change.
Power corrupts. I wish they had taken the Mugabes money and used it in the hospitals.

We will know if things are going to change if the new leader releases political prisoners, judges, lawyers, reporters and so on.
I wish them well but won't hold my breath.
He will probably have elections but with the army on his side they are unlikely to be free and fair.

I feel apprehensive about the future of Zimbabwe.

Some of our friends and our wider family are no longer there, but relatives of friends are still in the country and have suffered from the scarcity of food and in particular medicine.

I hope you are right M0nica