A military uprising pacific overthrew the leader of Zimbabwe after decades of arm-of-iron

Emmerson Mnangagwa became president with a 50,8% of votes

Grace Mugabe, of “Gucci Grace” to “Lady Macbeth” of Zimbabwe

a year Ago, a faction of the army of Zimbabwe changed the history of a country whose inhabitants assumed that only the death of Robert Mugabe to put an end to his Government. But everything changed, when the elder leader, -who was 93 years old and swept his 30 years as president and seven as first minister, was forced to resign at breakneck speed after a coup that never was recognized as such.

the trigger of The events took place on the 6th of November 2017, when Mugabe expelled from the Government to the man that more ballots had to become his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the then vice-president and his right-hand. Then, alerted by a possible plot to convert the first lady, Grace Mugabe, in to the heir policy of her husband, a military group critical of the president acted on his own. The evening of the 14th of November, they took control of the presidential palace and the radio and tv state, from where they spread a message saying that they took control of the country since that time.

After a week of house arrest in which Mugabe resisted with tooth and nail to leave her office, finally came the long-awaited resignation. The streets of the major cities (Harare and Bulayawo) celebrated a change of course unexpected and even cheered to Mnangagwa when he returned to the country to serve as president of transition. To demonstrate its commitment to begin a new era, it remained the presidential elections of the end of July 2018, when it won with a narrow margin (50.8% of the votes) to his young opponent, Nelson Chamisa who formed the main opposition groups.

Good intentions

Since he was sworn in as acting president, and then as president-elect, Mnangagwa promised that it would turn the economy zimbabwe in a middle-class in 2030. His messages drenched them in a society desirous of change, which for the first time could take to the streets to celebrate the end of the era of Mugabe, but at the same time looked with suspicion on the new president. Mnangagwa, was not the long-awaited change that many yearned for, but he gave continuity to the ZANU-PF, the party that governs in Zimbabwe since independence.

The new course was very well received in the international context. But palliate the effects of a bad management policy that was in decline with the beginning of the millennium is not something you can reverse overnight. Harare has for years marginalized in the international context by the sanctions imposed by the united States and the European Union (EU), although this last has removed some sanctions during the past year. A vacuum of opportunity that was exploited by China, which has become one of the key partners together to south Africa.

Before that there were to the overthrow of Mugabe, Zimbabwe has already accumulated a large external debt and suffered from a great economic crisis that had led him to print dollars with value only in its borders given the shortage of american dollars (the currency of normal use). Although the government has tried to ease the economic situation, both crises have worsened and all the efforts have been inadequate in a scenario that can be even worse.

however, the finance minister of Zimbabwe, Mthuli Ncube, said in a press conference in October that the economy will grow by 6.3% (1.8% more than expected) thanks to the sectors of mining and agriculture. Ncube said then that the country had a debt of 16.900 million dollars and was working with the African Development Bank to settle a debt of 2,500 million dollars.

on November 6, the Medical Association of Zimbabwe issued a statement asking the government for more funds to increase the small stock of medicines, another of the crisis that takes years without addressed. “Our patients are in relapse, are deteriorating and the operations they are canceling”, they assured. During the month of September, the country faced a cholera outbreak that killed more than 50 people in Harare and gave way to a vaccination campaign to prevent further loss of life.

on the other hand, a month ago, the oenegé Italian Cesvi published a report on the situation of hunger in the world that reflects a Zimbabwe with a malnutrition rate of 46,6%. This malnutrition may be related to the increase in prices of commodities due to inflation and, as a consequence of a bad harvest in 2015 and 2016 as a result of climate change.

In the field of human rights, while Human Rights Watch warned of some cases of intimidation during the celebration of the elections, the current situation is more permissive with opponents and activists, but far from ideal. During the protests that followed the publication of the results of the elections of 30 July, six people were killed in the capital shot by live ammunition by the army.

Many had hoped that the government abolish the current restrictions in the freedom of the local media and foreign correspondents, one of the latest measures introduced by the Mugabe during your term of office. But both the freedoms and the arrest of journalists continued in 2018, having been attacked or detained at least 25, according to the Institute of Media of Southern Africa (MISA).

it was without Robert Mugabe began full of good intentions and joys widespread, but with the passage of months, zimbabweans have barely been able to see improvements in your level of life, or solutions to the problems that most concern them. Meanwhile, Mugabe and his family continue to enjoy a retirement that is imposed with conditions and a price were agreed in the same week that occupies to us, almost a year ago now.

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