It is true the fruits of tyranny are bitter and only the people of Zimbabwe can attest to that after having spent a better part of the 28 years yoked under an undemocratic dispensation after independence from former colonial masters, the British. Deep in their hearts, the people of Zimbabwe want a new order to take shape in the country and the cards, it seems are held by the protagonists to the talks in South Africa, Mugabe, Tsvangirai, and one Arthur Mutambara. But it seems history might as well repeat itself because Mugabe might not be prepared to relinquish power any time soon. It happened before in the 1980s when a similar pact was signed between Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and in the end Mugabe stole the day and came out the smiling one.
After the historic handshake paving the way for power-sharing talks by the three protagonists, the horizon is still imbued with doubts whether the talks will come up with any tangible changes. Commentators say it is premature to pat Mbeki on the back for getting the warring parties in Zimbabwe to the negotiating table. "Having seen Robert Mugabes's behaviour over the past few yeaRs it's hard to believe that he will agree to anything that does not give him total power. Even his wife Grace has said Morgan Tsvangirai will never move into state house, how will Mugabe appease his wife?" said Kim Huskisson. To begin with, Mugabe was known to resist calls to step down, he had at some point dismissed a South African initiative for the formation of a transitional government of national unity as what had happened in Kenya after a disputed election and the subsequent violence. "Kenya is Kenya, Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe. We have our own way of evolving political impasses the Zimbabwean way, and the Zimbabwean way, not the Kenya way. Not at all," government spokesperson, George Charamba, told reporters last month. Once, a British journalist accused Mugabe of stealing the vote, Mugabe shouted him down saying: "When will the British stop colonising us. I'm the president of Zimbabwe whether you like it or not." Such remarks are not the hallmark of a man who is prepared to leave office any day.
