I beleive the writer is an Ibo extract from Nigeria who has forgotten the struggle his people had gone through under military dictators and how corruption and social degradation has almost eroded the fabric of our existence in Nigeria. We have never been able to step into the future brcause of people like him who will never leave the past because the thought of the future is too frightening. The Ibo's in Nigeria after the Biafran war have always stood in the side lines and have never been able to integrate fully into the Nigerian society. They are suspecious of every one and Mr Egbuna has deep rooted Biafran mentality. The idea that every western country is out to rape Africa and plunder us,what about Africans like Robert Mugabe who are raping and plundering their people. Zimbabwe has thrived in the past and has been an economic driving force in Southern Africa does it take sactions on Mugabe's movement to destroy all that or is it as a result of a small group of people looting and completely destroying the future of their people.(Common to African nations-like Nigeria) So Mr Egbuna you of Biafran origin who has no clear understanding of what being free to choose who leads you means revisit your roots and your elders back in Iboland will teach you. Toks

People like you who are enjoying Bush's American dream, and eating apple pie should never ever try to lecture us on what democracy is. We know whats good for us, we know who is good for us and we are certainly learned enough not to eat your whole load of hogwash!! Slavery and colonialism are long gone phases that people like you always try to use as an excuse to avoid criticism from the west. Why then are you not living in your beloved dictator-infested Africa??

I find it strange the writer is living outside Zimbabwe, perhaps he is enjoying the vestiges of slavery under white rule condoned by Britian while taking white electricity and white cars and white petrol to go to his white work. his delusion is of the same level as Muagabes. Where does my land generate these people from I have no idea. If he went to school in Zimbabwe he wrote British examinations, read from Europen books and drove an european car. He also flew to America in a european made jet. But he condemns all that plus more in his commentary. Zimbabwe is where it is NOT because of Britian or white people but from bad management by a dictator who has failed his people, and failed Africa and we should treat him as such, a failed leader.To put the blame on the West just doesnt wash anymore.Look to yourself to solve the problem. You ran away from Zimbabwe to feed yourself on western riches, if you were a true Zimbabwean you would be there voting for your failed president.

I am white, I am American and have no connection whatsoever to Zimbabwe, it's people or politics. However, I am saddened by what has transpired in Zimbabwe.

At the present, I can see no hope in sight for the people of Zimbabwe. Their current leaders, and others in other countries, cling to an idea of "liberation" whose time has passed, in case you didn't get the memo - you won! The colonizers have left. In the REAL world, the well-being of the people results from commerce. Who in the "West" wants to invest in Zimbabwe at the current time, when there is no guarantee that their investments will be respected? China might be willing, but their investments will only be for raw materials and "security cooperation". What do you think the eventual bill from China will be for their current support?

Zimbabwe is in it's current state because the ZANU-PF do not recognize property ownership (except for themselves). Russia has given up on this myopic Marxist idea, as has China. At a certain point, there will be no more white citizens in Zimbabwe - who will the ZANU-PF blame then? Who is to blame for 80% unemployment and 160,000% inflation? it is not the West!

it is not the West that is conspiring to cause the economic catastrophe that is presently afflicting Zimbabwe - there is a LOT of money circulating in the global economy that is not from the West looking for opportunities to make a profit, AND enough money that certain investors will look for a mutually beneficial relationship. Where is India's venture capitalists?, Taiwan's? What about Venezuela's Hugo Chavez (who similarly has no respect of property rights)? What about Iran? Where are the counties that allegedly helped supervise the recent "elections" in their investment in Zimbabwe? What is the profit motive for ANYONE to invest in a country that ignores property rights in a country that has shown a propensity to rig elections, yet still vainly calls itself democratic? ZANU-PF has shunned the opportunity to be a viable part of the world economy and resultingly, has impoverished the people of Zimbabwe. I seem to recall that the ANC took over power from a similarly white/colonialist racist regime and they (despite their problems) have managed not to throw their entire economy into chaos! Why should ZANU-PF be considered any differently? They've had MORE time than the ANC to "set things right" and yet their economy is doing far better than Zimbabwe's.

If you want to rant on with racial hatred or the old Marxist ideology of "redistribution of wealth", well, most of the whites have left Zimbabwe, who are the ZANU-PF going to fleece next when there are no more white farmers? They certainly aren't going to take land they themselves took from white farmers and give it to the poor are they? The Chinese themselves have somehow gotten around this ideological hurdle and they seem to be doing quite well!

It's not about ideology! It's about results! ZANU-PF has failed to bring the people the prosperity they once had and currently deserve. Somehow, Zimbabwean's standard of living has fallen dramatically the last 25 years, even though infrastructure, healthcare and education were all considered to be in good condition when ZANU-PF took over from Ian Smith's Rhodesia! Anywhere else on earth, they would be thrown out of Power. Even the Russians and the Chinese have discovered that the legitimacy of their power derives from the well-being of the people they claim to represent. The "revolution is over"! The people of Zimbabwe threw out Ian Smith, it's been over 25 years since he's been there, how much longer can anyone blame him or the former colonial powers (with any credibility) for what's gone wrong since he/they left power?

The bigger problem is not how to overthrow a government like Ian Smith's (no matter how illegitimate) but how to govern once you obtain power. The results provided by ZANU-PF are a sorry testimony to post-revolutionary promise that Zimbabwe once held. Again, 80% unemployment and 160,000% inflation are enough an indictment of this regime whatever their ideology - but is it not the impoverishment of the people of Zimbabwe not enough of a farce for their African neighbors, let alone the World community, to demand a change?

What is happening in Zimbabwe today is not about the correction of the past , but about selfishness from a few minority Black African rulers who are the worst oppressors. Mugabe is simply denying people their voice and right> If the people have chosen to go back to the colonial life there is a reason for that and their wish should be granted. Who is Mugabe who is already finished , what can he tell the Children of Zimbabwe whom he is killing each and every day. The people are fed up and they have spoken, and the more you force yourself to be their leader the further they will sail away from your crude ideas and rule. Zimbabwe cannot fight for slavery that happened in the past moreover there were no slaves taken from Zimbabwe, why then should Mugabe use that as the reason of extending his rule. Really why did he decide to have elections if he was'nt going to respect the people's choice, wasting tax payer's money as is the norm in Black leadership.

As a South African it really hurts to read your thoughts on the matter. Driving out farmers, raping and torturing opposition leaders, bulldozing communities, 80% unemployment, 160,000% inflation, stuffing ballot boxes. This is not freedom for the people of Zimbabwe. You may not be starving in Washington, but most of your coutnrymen are. Robert Mugabe lives in incomparable luxury while his people suffer intolerably.

Racism, appartheid, colonialism, slavery. I agree that these inexplicable evils have left a horendous void of value and morality. But selfish aspiration, greed, violence and dictatorship are not an improvement. The people of Zimbabwe (perhaps apart from a wealthy few) have less freedom that under any of the previous horendous regimes. Out of them all this is the worst. People are dying. There is no food. Please, you are an educated black Zimbabwean, if the anger you feel can change you can bring a change too. Please don't turn a blind eye to what is really going on. Please. Let's bring the oppressed freedom. We can work together on this.

Isaiah 58 is a good place to start.

Matt

The writer of this article is very foolish. I guess you have never been to Zimbabwe and you write from the comfort of USA. You don't know how it feels like to live under a dicatator. Its unfortunate that you wasted your time writing this hogwash.

Why is this Cmde Obi Egbuna living in a first world country enjoying first world country living standards and then critisizing their leaders decisions ? Why don't he live among his advocating regime mates (Mugabe etc ). He is a member of the Pan African Liberation Organisation and Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association. Meaning actually a terrorist organisation. Look at the recent history of African countries who fought for freedom, there is hunger and food aid because the freedom fighter regimes can not supply for their people. Please don't hide behind the fight for freedom, ancestral colonialism slavery excuses. YOU CAN NOT DO IT.

Ogi, get your family, posessions, relatives all out of Zim asap. Your time is coming, and much, much sooner than you think. As for the Pol Pot clone, his time has already passed and his shreds are falling off him like a leperous old crone.