I can name three Africa countries that ‘have adopted a mindset for themselves to enjoy rest-of-the-world freedom and democracy’. South Africa, Mauritius, and Botswana. It is possible, even in Africa to have open and successful societies. But first the hoary old argument that western countries are rich because they stole the resources of Third World countries must be dismissed. The affluent world has grown faster since shedding its colonies, and many rich nations like Sweden and Switzerland never had any colonies.

The best cure for poverty is growth; prices and profits serve as a signalling system in the market economy whereby the worker, the entrepeneur and the investor all benefit. This can only be achieved under a capitalist system. Capitalism and democracy go hand in hand in creating a better world. They aren’t just tools of society, but ends in themselves by improving the lives of everyone.

By the way, I see no problem myself with world investors, money brokers etc declining to repeatedly bolster failing African economies – it’s not an obligation to do so, it is a strategy, and they are getting smarter in what they expect back, and expect to see, for their input.

Mugabe and Grace and his six thugs should be approaching the end of their opulence and shopping sprees. My fear is that they will be ‘allowed’ to continue to bleed the country on every level, if a weak deal is signed.

Currency is in short supply and falling. Dollarisation is a fact with barter being the normal means of commerce. The rule of Law non-existent. The neighboring states looking at a major influx of refugees. The longer MT can hang in there without signing a GNU the better. Robbing Bob is finished and he knows it. It is the JOC who now need to be persuaded.

In rural areas there is now a serious move toward Vigilantism to redress the criminal acts by the “official parties” attempt to contain the MDC.

I just hope someone sensible in the SADC and the wider region acts in a military way to sort this out, otherwise we will have another Darfur in the Horn of Africa.

But today the situation can no longer accommodate such political theories. The realities on the ground are such that the decline is now so rapidly that it is destined to implode very soon as things now stand. So Mbeki has had to deal with the reality of the MDC after all, a movement which this year has been proven beyond doubt to have been the peoples choice. This decline, this tragedy of monumental proportions is, therefore, not only due to Mugabe’s agressive holding on to power, but is also due in large measure to the selfish strategy of a South African president who has on the one hand put his name behind a partnership for African development and democracy, but shown very clearly on the other,
that in the case of Zimbabwe, he had no stomach to put those principles into practise.
He may now have one last chance to go some way to right those wrongs. He won’t get another.

Now I ask anyone, who should the power go to?
The answer, of course, is the first man who received a genuine mandate. The only claim that the second man has to the power is that his country is in Africa, so it’s allright to cheat in the way he has done. Now isn’t it at long last time that the excuse that because it’s Africa it’s allright to cheat is abolished and a normal morality is established?
If it is not yet time to do that, why not?

And Mr Mbeki is expecting a deal anytime now..real soon.. it’s just around the corner..it’s nearly there…any moment now.

Mr Mbeki…we are getting very impatient with your patience.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7558578.stm Nkomo’s Ghost BBC

We hope and pray sincerely that Mr Tsvangirai can be enabled to keep his promises he made to the voters and help restore Zimbabwe to total peace.

After all, Zimbabwians of all regions deserve a good deal for a change.

We all hope and pray for peace, equality and peaceful developments in Zimbabwe.