Zimbabwe’s transition a warning to African leaders, says political analyst

The swearing in of Emmerson Mnangagwa as Zimbabwe’s second president since its independence in 1980, has sent shots of jovial bullets into the cities of Zimbabwe.

Watching Mnangagwa on the BBC pronouncing his commitment to serve Zimbabweans with diligence and uphold the constitution, one would really see how people from the former bread basket of Africa, longed to see the day Robert Gabriel Mugabe would step down though no one expected him to sign out through a dramatic military.

On Friday, Mnangagwa assumed presidency with applause from tens of thousands of people at Harare National Sports Stadium who gathered to witness the other comrade, take the oath of office.

For Mugabe all is done. What is left for Zimbabwe and the rest of the African continent is only to draw lessons from Mugabe’s loss of wings.

Speaking to YFM online, one of Malawi’s female political analysts, Emily Mkamanga said Malawi and all African leaders have a lot to learn from Zimbabwe’s situation.

Mkamanga said Mugabe’s power crackdown had sent a strong warning to African leaders including Malawi that people are tired of power hungry leaders.

“I think Africans have learnt a lot from Mugabe’s situation. They must know that over staying in power might lead to their shameless defeat when people are tired of them.” said the soft spoken analyst.

She added: “When it’s time to step down its always praiseworthy to do so because presidency is not chieftaincy where you have to rotate within your clan,”

Mkamanga said that the peaceful military takeover in Zimbabwe has proved that peaceful transition is possible in this democratic era.

“Many people thought the military power takeover would lead to a deadly bloodshed but instead Zimbabwe has experienced the ever peaceful military Government takeover.”

“This one is a chief lesson to many leaders Malawi inclusive that you don’t always have to fiercely fight just to assume a presidential seat that does not even last forever,” she said.

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