I must say that I, and I am sure millions of Africans, had great hopes for Zimbabwe when independence was proclaimed in 1980. From a privileged and envious position of inherited infrastructure, Zimbabwe has now collapsed into a state of total and utter nightmare for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.

I believe in the diplomatic protocol of non –interference in the domestic affairs of independent nations but what is going on in Zimbabwe today is more than domestic affairs. It is a humanitarian crisis of global proportions. It deserves and requires the immediate attention from the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations and the world’s only Super Power standing-the United States.

I know that African leaders are reluctant to confront Captain Bob on the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, but I think it is now time to forgo all niceties and help the poor Zim people who in addition to the devastating impact of HIV/Aids have to deal with a political, food and humanitarian crisis.

The relationship between the US, UK and Zimbabwe is practically non -existent at the moment. With accusations and counter accusations, the relationship has deteriorated to the level of personal insults as we saw recently with Captain Bob’s tirade against Condi Rice. Without foreign aid and without the support and good will of the UK, US and the international community we all know that the situation in Zimbabwe will continue to deteriorate and push the humble Zim people further and further into the dark ages. Current sanctions against Zimbabwe is simply hurting the poor Zim people more than it is hurting Mugabe. He is not losing sleep; he is no poorer; he is still in power. We need to do something new about Zimbabwe now.

I know there will be people saying am I not buying wholesale Western propaganda against an African leader fighting hard to preserve Zimbabwean independence against the onslaught of Western interference? Well, I think those who have eyes can see and read about what is happening in Zim today. I think the situation goes beyond propaganda and being anti- Mugabe. It is now a humanitarian crisis, triggered by an octogenarian desperately hanging on to power for only God knows what. He has had 25 years in power and in that time Zim has completely collapsed as a Nation State.

Mugabe has been in power since 1980. It is a long time. Apart from the first two elections the general view is that most elections have been fraught with massive irregularities and rigging. Whatever he has to offer Zimbabwe he must have done so in the last 25 years. He is one of the last post independence African leaders still alive and hanging on to power. Nyerere is long gone; Kenneth Kaunda or KK in Zambia is long gone; Hastings Banda of Malawi is long gone. Even if you want to compare like with like and look at the situation in South Africa- a country that was in the same special category as Zimbabwe- the ‘Great One’ has long left office after fulfilling his life’s mission and South Africa is flourishing under democracy with President Mbeki.

We all know Zim is in trouble; we all know the US, UK and African aid and support is essential to help her restore true democracy, economic revival and the rule of law. We all know and acknowledge that Captain Bob’s time as President of Zimbabwe is up. No matter how desperately he clings on to power with his last breath, he is simply on borrowed time now. He must make sacrifices now to save his people from further anguish, pain and bloodshed.

Presidents Obansanjo and Thabo Mbeki must now change their policy towards Zimbabwe. The old softly, softly approach is not working and never will. The soft spot for Captain Bob throughout Africa has evaporated into thin air with the unfolding crisis in Zimbabwe in the last couple of years. African public opinion is that of an old leader who has outlived his usefulness to his people but refuses to relinquish power. African leaders must no longer be involved in the Conspiracy of Silence over Zimbabwe. We all know what is going on in that country. If Zim was a prosperous African nation then we may accept the argument that the West is against Zim and don’t want any African nation to prosper and grow. That is not the case here. Zim is currently one of the poorest nations on the planet. President Mugabe cannot feed his people and the Zim dollar is virtually worthless on the international market. Why must it always end this way? A one time African hero, now villain in the eyes of many; a one-time enigma, now fighting against his own people and the rest of the world. Why must it always end this way? I think Mbeki and Obansanjo’s diplomacy on Zim is now dead in the water. We must stop the pretence that some day common sense and common humanity will prevail and Captain Bob will do the right thing. Captain Bob only understands one thing- the use of force to wrest, secure, exercise and maintain power. That is his psyche and at his old age nothing can change that view now. It is that view that has kept him in power for so long. He will only leave power when a superior force wrestles it from his fading grip. And that power must be external to Zimbabwe. It must be South Africa and Nigeria. If the Americans or British do it the cry of imperialist aggression and re-colonisation will be too loud to bear.

What the South African and Nigerian Governments must do now is very simple, in my view. It is now the end game for Mugabe and we must help him to see that leaving power voluntarily is the most honourable route out for him.

-The AU, under the leadership of Nigeria and South Africa must provide a soft landing option for Captain Bob.

-President Mugabe must be told in no uncertain terms that he MUST step down for the sake Zimbabwe -He must hand over power to an interim President pending fresh Presidential elections in 12 months time -Human Rights abuses against the Zim people must stop forthwith otherwise any post power immunity deal will not be honoured -South Africa should offer him asylum in return for him stepping aside -The Commonwealth, US, UK, EU and the international community will lift all sanctions against Zim when he steps aside, and a ‘Marshall Plan’ will be instituted for the revival of Zimbabwe with billions of dollars on the table.

It is time South Africa and Nigeria start playing their leadership roles in Africa, otherwise the Western Powers will continue to dictate the pace of policy development in Africa. WE must become more pro active and interventionists when it comes to Restoring Democracy, the Rule of Law, Peace and Human Rights. We must start to show boldness and courage with difficult issues. Leadership comes from taking difficult decisions and pushing them through. Leadership requires initiative and forcing others to see and accept the alternative view. We cannot continue to allow the Americans and the former colonial powers to be dictating policy for us in Africa. If South Africa and Nigeria were to give Captain Bob 2-3 months to vacate office and then lay down the options if he does not, I don’t think he will want to take on the might of South Africa, let alone SA and Nigeria combined. And the North Koreans should be told in no uncertain terms the consequences for them if their troops in Zim stand in the way. The international coalition for intervention in Zim is now growing fast and Mbeki and Obasanjo must take the lead.

Call Bush a cowboy if you like, but when he says move you better move- as Sadam Hussein and the Taliban in Afghanistan discovered to their detriment. Mbeki and Obansanjo must show similar steely leadership. The case for intervention in Zimbabwe is a more solid and moral case than Bush’s adventures in the Middle East. In our case there will be no international opposition to removing Mugabe. It is not a case of the bad colonial masters moving in to re-colonize Zimbabwe; it is not a case of a white nation moving into an African nation; it is not a case of Islam against Christianity; it is not a case of moving into Zim for Oil, gold or diamonds. None of the sentiments against Bush will apply here. It is purely and simply a humanitarian mission.

I don’t think millions of Zim people will come out to fight for Captain Bob and I don’t think either that the international community will raise an eyebrow if we intervene in Zim to restore sanity and democracy. It is only the AU under SA and Nigeria that can do it. If the AU will not grant permission then Nigeria and South Africa are entitled to act unilaterally in the name of common humanity. This will not be an operation for territorial conquest. Neither SA nor Nigeria has any interest in Zim territory. It is simple to help restore order and save lives. It is time for Nigeria and South Africa to show leadership and to start shaping, instead of always reacting to, events in Africa. Zimbabwe is one such test. We must act now. The question is: do we have the courage and political will to do what is necessary? If we don’t, we have no right to complain of imperialist intervention and interference in Africa. It would be tantamount to a failure of leadership on the Zim question.

  J.E.Iyobhebhe iyobhebhe@hotmail.com