Robert Mugabe, 91 in February 2015, assumed the chairmanship of the African Union; he may be more concerned about stage-managing his legacy than leading the continent.
The announcement of a suspension of sanctions pending a credibly free and fair referendum was a very low bar to cross. The real action lies in what is already going on behind the scenes. As with all major diplomatic breakthroughs, a heavy element of cynicism is the accompaniment.
Zimbabweans may still find solace in the fact that their liberation from Mugabe may be over the horizon. The panacea to Zimbabwe’s political woes will be to overhaul of their system of strong central governance that has nurtured a dictatorship for over three decades.
Mugabe’s regime is hardly on its last legs and is not threatened beyond key points. He is strong enough to intimidate the most senior of his ambitious colleagues and there are many who trace the death in 2011 of Solomon Mujuru to his door.
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