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Uncle Bob’s end
Like any 93-year-old, Robert Mugabe nodded off often and struggled to maintain his health, and yet he seemed immortal. He’d resisted stepping down as president for over a decade, using questionable election results and brute force to stay in power. Citizens tried and failed to force him to step down.
Then, the military that had propped him up for years yanked him from power in a surprise move on Nov. 14. The military has, without irony, said they are intervening specifically to stop Grace Mugabe’s ascension to power. Their intervention was triggered by the axing of deputy president Emmerson Mnangagwa—pushed aside in a “bedroom coup.” Sidelining political rivals is a move that has served Mugabe well throughout his political career, but this time, he overestimated his power. Mnangagwa has returned to Harare, and Grace Mugabe has yet to surface in public.
Rather than imprison or expel him to South Africa, the generals have agreed to negotiate with Mugabe, during which they continue to honor him with the title “Commander-in-Chief.” In Zimbabwe, where titles hold much value, this honorific expresses to a desire to let Mugabe leave with some dignity, despite the indignities his people have suffered under his rule. Seemingly isolated, Mugabe clings to power, telling the world that his people still love him.
A mass demonstration on Saturday, sought to prove otherwise. Thousands of Zimbabweans celebrated his exit, even though Mugabe has not yet formally left office. Independent Zimbabwe knows no other leader. He has taken the country to great heights, and heartbreaking lows. There was a time when being Zimbabwean meant a future in “Africa’s breadbasket,” raised in what was arguably the continent’s best public education system, and contributing to a stable and thriving economy.
Today, it means navigating a broken system, trading “zombie” bond notes, while hoarding US dollars because the Zimbabwean dollar means more as a memento of a bygone era [see Chart of the Week below]. Those who stay face food insecurity, while others cross into neighboring countries where they are often seen as a burden, despite the skills they offer. Perhaps now, they may finally return.
For now, however, hope is tinged with uncertainty. Will the military truly relinquish its power to the people? Is Mugabe’s longtime ally turned foe really the man to bring change? And will the opposition, beaten down for so long, finally find strength? One thing is sure though, this marks the end of Robert Mugabe.
— Lynsey Chutel, Quartz Johannesburg correspondent
Stories from this week
Biomedical engineers from across Africa are collaborating to build medical devices. Most of Africa’s medical equipment is imported so African countries need to start producing and developing their own medical devices. One solution has been the collaboration of biomedical engineers from several African universities to come up with homegrown devices, explains Tania Douglas.
Uber drivers in Lagos are inflating riders’ fares with a fake GPS app. If you’ve ever had a surprisingly expensive ride with Uber in Lagos, there’s a possible explanation. Yemisi Adegoke decided to investigate after paying for a few of these very costly rides and learned all about the Lockito GPS app which, in some cases, can more than double the rider’s fare. She also found out why Uber drivers in Lagos think it’s justified.
Mali’s top female rapper breaks all the rules. Mali has a great tradition of world class musicians from Salif Keita and Ali Farka Toure to Tuareg band Tinariwen and the duo Amadou et Mariam. But its hip hop scene is less known. Alex Potter met up with Ami Yerewolo, one of the country’s few female rappers, who’s challenging a lot of expectations.
Africa’s largest TV platform, Multichoice, has a growing free speech and censorship problem. In Zambia, promos for Talk With Kwangu were pulled off air after they featured a sound bite from the wife of Zambia’s opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema. It’s becoming something of a habit for the TV giant to cave in to overzealous local regulators.
When it comes to trade, Africa really should be a country. African countries have been in talks to agree a continent-wide free trade area for all 55 countries by the end of this year. Harvard’s Calestous Juma says the idea to create a single integrated market, with a combined GDP of $3.5 trillion, is essential for Africa’s industrialization, jobs creation and much more for development.
What is a coup? Forty African countries can explain. To date, 23 African countries have had at least three coups. In fact, only 14 of Africa’s 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup, according to Yomi Kazeem. He went through the over 200 coups and coup attempts across Africa, since the independence era, and compiled a list of the continent’s top offenders.
Chart of the week
Zimbabwe’s rapid decline. A lot has been written this week about the political uncertainty and palace intrigue of Zimbabwe’s current situation. But it is the collapse of the economy which seemed the clearest indicator Robert Mugabe’s end would come sooner than later. The multiple values of the US dollar, the world’s highest bitcoin prices (as locals desperately sought safe storage of value with fears of hyperinflation‘s return) and the long-lines for cash and food were all evidence of a troubled economic outlook. The economy’s growth, from a low base, has started slowing and is expected to turn negative next year.
Other Things We Liked
One of Mozambique’s largest cities is sinking. Every year, Beira, one of Mozambique’s largest cities, experiences violent storms and floods which are leaving residents and local fishermen alike unsure about how to prepare for the future. For Al Jazeera, Andrew Mambondiyani writes that Mozambique—with its coastal cities slowly being swallowed by the rising sea level—ranks third among African countries most exposed to multiple weather hazards.
Has Africa been failed by Westernization? Author Chigozie Obioma argues in The Guardian that Africa’s leaders need to cast off their subservience to the West and reject the notion that being “modern” and “civilized” means copying everything the West does. “African nations have a total dependency on foreign political philosophies and ideas, and their shifts and movements,” he writes.
Keep an eye on
Nigeria’s central bank will announce decision on interest rates (Nov. 21). On Tuesday, following a monetary policy meeting, Central Bank of Nigeria will announce its decision on interest rates. It comes after National Bureau of Statistics revealed annual inflation slowed for the ninth month in a row in October, easing to 15.9%.
Our best wishes for a productive and thought-filled week ahead. Please send any news, comments, suggestions, dodgy Uber driver apps and African-made biomedical devices to africa@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter at @qzafrica for updates throughout the day.
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