Tompson Makahamadze

Asset or Liability?: the Leadership of Mugabe in Independent Zimbabwe Tompson Makahamadze

The book discusses the leadership of President Robert Mugabe in the context of deepening political and socio-economic crises in independent Zimbabwe. It examines contrasting views on Mugabe between the conservative forces on one hand, and progressive and democratic forces on the other. It argues that the support that Mugabe enjoys can be understood in the context of patronage, appeal to ethnic solidarity, massive state violence, electoral fraud and propaganda. It also explores how the Global Political Agreement (GPA) rescued Mugabe from political demise and restored his legitimacy without sharing power with the MDC formations. It argues that under GPA ZANU PF leadership has continued to fight for self-preservation while that of the MDCs is battling to entrench itself in the playground of nanational politics. The book concludes that Mugabe is a liability rather than an asset to Zimbabwe. His attempt to stall democracy by legitimizing his brutal regime via the ballot box is indeed, indicative of his liability. The book should be useful to Zimbabweans and any other people who endeavour to comprehend fully the hisoty and politics of independent Zimbabwe and its stifled democracy.