Two Years After Mugabe’s Fall, Zimbabwe Returns to the Abyss

Two Years After Mugabe’s Fall, Zimbabwe Returns to the Abyss
People walk home in the dark due to power shortages in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sept. 30, 2019 (AP photo by Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi).

Two years after the military coup that removed Robert Mugabe from power, Zimbabwe has entered a new spiral of decline that threatens to take the country back to the worst days of his era. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power in that coup, had promised a “new beginning” for Zimbabwe. That initially bought him some valuable breathing space, and even goodwill from the international community, which seemed willing to give him an opportunity to make good on his pledge.

It hasn’t taken long for the euphoria—always rooted more in the demise of Mugabe than in the rise of Mnangagwa—to vanish. The first indications that so-called reform was likely to be superficial came in July 2018 with Zimbabwe’s disputed presidential elections. It was all too familiar, including when security forces used live ammunition against protesters, killing at least six people.

Then, early this year, more protests against huge increases in the price of fuel triggered more repression, with more protesters killed by security forces. The regime’s response in poorer urban areas also expanded to include a campaign of mass arrests, abductions and rape.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article as well as three free articles per month. You'll also receive our free email newsletter to stay up to date on all our coverage:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having your own personal researcher and analyst for news and events around the globe. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of 15,000+ articles
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday
  • Weekly in-depth reports on important issues and countries
  • Daily links to must-read news, analysis, and opinion from top sources around the globe, curated by our keen-eyed team of editors
  • Your choice of weekly region-specific newsletters, delivered to your inbox.
  • Smartphone- and tablet-friendly website.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review