Leo Africanus

Whether Robert Mugabe (who has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980) can rig this weekend’s Presidential elections in Zimbabwe is still not clear, but we sure he is deluded.Evidence of Mugabe’s oddness here [via Al Jazeera English, the only 'international' news network allowed to report the elections and whose 'reporter' Supa Mandiwanzira seems to channel Mugabe and ZANU-PF's propaganda occasionally, which is not surprising given his past exploits] as well as here (via the Washington Post).Other burning issues:  Is this Simba Makoni’s moment? Is Makoni a ‘third force’ set up to divide opposition to Mugabe and split the opposition vote? (Remember Makoni served in Mugabe’s Cabinet and his wealth is partly a result of his state connections).  Will the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (now consisting of two or three — depending on who you ask — factions) tear itself apart (kinda like what Hillary Clinton and her surrogates are doing to the Democratic Party in the US? My sources tell me NO.That’s despite word that the army (who do the work of the electoral commission) are supporting Makoni. Makoni is also favored by the intelligentsia and the diaspora whose tired of the infighting inside the MDC. But popularity outside Zimbabwe does not mean votes inside Zimbabwe.MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had the largest election rally of he contest so far (about 30,000 people turned; Mugabe’s best was about 2,000 people), but Tsvangirai is seen as divisive and too close to the West. But my source reminded me MDC is better funded this time.Too close to call. One thing’s for sure the people are tired.