Mugabe Abandons Power Sharing

Days after being heckled by MDC parliamentarians at the opening of Zimbabwe's National Assembly, Robert Mugabe has abandoned any further power sharing with them and has announced he will form a government without the MDC. "The MDC don't want to come in apparently," said Mugabe.

Does this really come as a surprise to anyone?

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece titled, "Has Mugabe Triumphed Again?" (http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/08/18/has-mugabe-triumphed-again/)

In the article, I argue the only power sharing agreement Mugabe would sign onto is one that would guarantee he is President for Life.

Of course, Mugabe cannot enter into any agreement that would diminish any of his power one iota because Mugabe does not wish to share power with anyone. He's a meglomaniac.

The best that can be done now is for the MDC to use whatever powers it might have in the National Assembly until such time that Mugabe sees fit to dissolve it. Such a move will delegitimize Mugabe amongst his fellow Africans. Whether other African governments isolate Mugabe however remains to be seen.

By the time Mugabe is out of power or is relegated to a place where he can do no more harm it will take a century for Zimbabwe to get back where it was prior to 1980.