A Romanian in Africa

The politics of obsession

Mugabe: Power, Plunder, and the Struggle for Zimbabwe’s Future by Martin Meredith

Paperback 244 pages; Published in the United States by PublicAffairs (2002, 2003, 2007); Previously published under the title Our Votes, Our Guns;

In a book of tremendous power, given mainly by its fast paced, lucid and concise style, Martin Meredith shows us the three main obsessions of President Robert Mugabe: guns, power and his hatred against the Britons. Right from the beginning, we see that Mugabe’s “politics of obsessions” have always had a common denominator: the harassment and piecemeal destruction of the opponents. The only difference is that in 1975 he was targeting white people only. 33 years later anyone who opposes Mugabe must be destroyed.

While highly biographical, the book contains numerous ironic and eye taking paragraphs that were surely written in light of the current situation in Zimbabwe. There are subliminal messages disguised in a sea of history. On one account, in the chapter regarding the eve of independence, the author includes President Nyerere’s (Tanzania) advice: “You have inherited a jewel. Keep it that way.” 28 years later the gold jewel has inexplicably rotten.

Meredith’s book could easily be considered a carousel through hell. It’s that kind of ride you will never forget not because it’s scary and creepy but because you see so many horrifying images clustered together in such a short time. The reader remains silent when Robert Mugabe’s overall image is built. Turning the last page of the book, one looks at the rhetorical question listed on the back cover: “What turned an idealistic political visionary into a brutal autocrat.” And then he/she tells to himself/herself: now I know. NOW I KNOW.

The books navigates through the degradation of the Zimbabwean society at such a high pace that the consequences for the reader are breathtaking. You simply cannot image a worse scenario.

Martin Meredith brings biography writing to a new level. The level at which readers across the globe can only praise their own lives and hope nothing alike will ever happen in their countries.

There are some downsides to this approach. Many significant events from the Zimbabwe’s recent history are not covered in detail. Out of all the recent events (by recent I mean the last 20 years), two of them receive a disappointingly low coverage: Mugabe’s decision to get involved into the Congo War and Mugabe’s life in Ghana, where he met and married his first wife.

This book is an introduction to Robert Mugabe’s life. It is nicely designed, in a chronological fashion and it appears more like a long article / op-ed than an actual book. The best thing about the book is the high selection of some of Mugabe’s quotes and of those surrounding him.

You should definitely take the time and read it through. You can get it done in one night. And then you know…

I’m listing here a series of quotes that I left me speechless. Since I’m a researcher myself I know how important page numbers are when you want to include a quote in your papers. I’m therefore including the page numbers as well, for your convenience.

‘Year after year, Mugabe sustained his rule through violence and repression – crushing political opponents, violating the courts, trampling on property rights, suppressing the independent press, and rigging elections. In a speech in 2003 he warned he would use even worse violence if necessary, threatening to act like a “black Hitler” against the opposition. “If that is Hitler, then let me be a Hitler tenfold. That is what we stand for.”’ (18)

Mugabe’s quote of white men, their influence, power and racism: “He was infallible. He was the ruler to be obeyed. Whoever was white therefore not only had the power but also the privilege of demanding respect from every black. And so we feared the white man. ” (22)

Ian Smith on Mugabe, quoted by Meredith from Ian Smith’s published personal journal: “One again I pondered to myself over the man’s maturity, reasonableness and sense of fair play,” he commented after a meeting in May. “A model of reason and fairness,” he remarked in June.” (42)

Mugabe on the legal system: “The law of evidence and the criminal procedure we have inherited is a stupid ass. It’s one of those principles born out of the stupidity of some of the procedures of colonial times.” (55)

On how institutionalized terror was built up by the government: ‘One television advertisement, watched by many viewers with astonishment and disbelief, featured the screech of tires and the crushing of glass and metal in a car accident, followed by a voice warning coldly: ‘This is one way to die. Another is to vote ZUM. Don’t commit suicide, vote Zanu-PF and live.’ Another advertisement showed a coffin being lowered into the grave followed by a warning: ‘AIDS kills. So does ZUM. Vote Zanu-PF.’’ (91)

Researching corruption cases in Zimbabwe the author found out that “In one case, a civil servant imported enough pencils to meet the needs of the country for fifty years, earning a handsome commission.” (98)

Mugabe on the IMF and China: ‘I do not like the IMF. It is a tool being used by the western imperialists to subject us to their will. The IMF is being political and we will be political in our attitude towards it. It is a monster we do not deserver. We are better off without it. We will be happy without it. We will not die as a country. Never ever.’

By contrast, he praised China, which had pledged to provide some soft loans. ‘Of all the countries, China has been our strongest supporter,’ he said. “If we get funds from China the way we expect, as per their promises, there will not be any need for us to look for balance of payments support elsewhere.’ Harking back to the guerrilla war twenty years before, he recalled China’s support for Zanu-PF at the time, describing China as ‘the greatest of friends.’ (156-157)

I hope this will make you buy the book / check it out at a local library. The review of this book is a response to the African Reading Challenge launched by Tukopamoja