Future prospects grim

With the Zanu (PF) regime spending more on military hardware with which to repress an increasingly restive population, hospitals and schools will continue to suffer neglect.

Starvation will increase. Drought or no drought, there is no money for seeds, chemicals or fertiliser, lack of expertise, support and knowledge.

We will continue to be a pariah state internationally. The fraudulent election results have been condemned by the countries that really matter in terms of investment, aid and balance of payments support.

Most disturbing of all, the government does not seem to have any turnaround plan. The now have the two thirds majority necessary to change the constitution. But what are they going to do with it? – appoint losers to the senate, reward Zanu (PF) functionaries with more farms or access to state coffers.

There seems to be no credible plan to revive the economy. The vision appears to focus on self-enrichment, repression of the opposition and little else. It is likely that one of Mugabe’s first post ‘victory’ acts will be to sign into law the reviled NGO bill which will make way for the closure of many NGOs that have kept the spotlight on human rights abuses during the past five years.

Many will be waiting anxiously for the re-emergence of the Daily News on the streets of Harare. It will be surprising if this actually happens. The supreme court judgment was simply to appease the observers just prior to the elections. It did not strike down the law under which the newspaper was originally refused a licence.

The rural masses are undoubtedly dreading the promised retribution they bravely stood out against in going to the polls. Now that the observer teams have left, the night of the long knives will soon descend. Areas that voted MDC can now expect the full wrath of a tyrant scorned.

Mugabe has always wanted a one party state. It is likely that he will move rapidly in that direction.