Zim ... Uncle Bob's pledge

I was horrified to read that President Mugabe has promised that, regardless of the outcome of the run-off election, the MDP will never rule Zimbabwe.

It's nice to know that the old boy has such a good sense of democracy!

But then, Mugabe's wife was overheard to say to her hubby that that, no matter what, Tsvangirai will never step foot in the State House.

It makes the recent Kenyan presidential election look like a milk-run.

At least someone, in the shape of Botswana, has dared raise their head above the parapet and lodged a formal complaint against Mugabe. It's about time that South Africa followed their neighbour's lead. But then, shouldn't they have been leading?

Where is Zimbabwe going?

It has been announced, albeit unofficially, that Morgan Tsvangirai has beaten Uncle Bob in the Presidential election. The country is gearing up for a run-off election between the two.

In the meantime, the army and "war veterans" are carrying out a campaign of terror against the supporters of the MDC.

So, let's just assume that after the run-off, Morgan wins outright. Then what?

The army seems to be loyal to Uncle Bob; the war veterans certainly are. So what will the new MDC Government do? How will they bring Zimbabwe back into some sense of normality? Will Tsvangirai and his new government be allowed to rule, or will there be a coup?

Winning an election in a country where violence and repression has been the order of the day for so long, may not count for much.