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Ham-Handed Rigging
Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, has never been subtle. This is a man best known for redistributing land based on race and for creating the world's highest inflation rate (100,580%) in what was once considered southern Africa's second-biggest economy.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice didn't mince words when she told reporters on Sunday that, "The Mugabe regime is a disgrace to the people of Zimbabwe and a disgrace to southern Africa and to the continent of Africa as a whole.'' And, with only a 20% employment rate, it is hardly surprising that thousands of Zimbabweans are either starving or emigrating.
Yet, all this did not stop Mugabe from seeking his fifth presidential term this week, against opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai. As of now, Tsvangirai has garnered 67% of the 30% of votes counted. Secretary General Tendai Biti said in an interview on Sunday that, "This is just an example of what we're getting from every province. Barring a miracle, Mugabe can't win.''
However, the state-run Zimbabwe Election Commission has not yet "fully processed" the results of an election in which only 9,000 Zimbabweans were allowed to vote. The most likely reason for this is that the Mugabe administration doesn't like the results. But really, how long does it take to rig an election?