Does Zimbabwe now have black majority rule?

[Boojatta]

Poll question: Does Zimbabwe now have black majority rule?

On 11 November 1965, he made his Unilateral Declaration of Independence. Rhodesia had cast itself adrift from Britain and the Commonwealth.

(...)

The world community refused to recognise Rhodesia and the United Nations applied economic sanctions, but many international companies secretly broke them - and apartheid South Africa seemed especially keen to chip in.

(...)

"I don't believe in black majority rule over Rhodesia," he defiantly proclaimed at the time, "not in a thousand years."

In the end he had to. But it was not British diplomacy which eventually wore him down but armed black opposition and, decisively, Pretoria's decision to withdraw support for his government.

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1136865.stm

Edited to correct an error.

[kdmorris]

1. I'm not sure I understand

Did Zimbabwe invade Rwanda?

[Boojatta]

2. I didn't intend to mention Rwanda.

I apologize for the error.

The quoted material is from an article with this heading:

Obituary: Ian Smith
Ian Smith was prime minister of Rhodesia for 15 turbulent years.

[Redstone]

3. Uh, I think you're talking about Zimbabwe, not Rwanda.

Redstone

[CJCRANE]

4. delete

OP edited to clear up confusion.

[Wcross]

5. I voted yes after looking at the CIA world fact book.

elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 6 nominated by the president, 10 nominated by the Council of Chiefs) and a House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010; House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, independents 1

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seems that the leadership is elected by the people.

[Boojatta]

6. Is there anything in the following article that might be worth considering?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/802541.stm

For example:

The head of the European Union observer mission, Pierre Schori, told the BBC the level of violence seen had no place in a democratic campaign.

More than thirty people have been killed in the run-up to the poll, most of them supporters of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change.

The government today reversed an earlier decision and agreed to allow locally-based foreign diplomats to oversee the voting tomorrow and Sunday.

The article doesn't mention electoral fraud. Should we simply assume that there wasn't a significant amount of electoral fraud?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

7. Mugabe is closer to the wealthiest Rhodesians than Ian Smith ever was

Mugabe's wrath is limited to white farmers and professionals. The same powerful families who controlled Rhodesia also control Zimbabwe. They bought Mugabe off decades ago and have been left alone in return.

Hell Mugabe has even become close to John Bredenkamp who is a war criminal and was also a professional smuggler for Ian Smith and kept the Rhodesian military equipped during the bush war by smuggling tobacco.

And by the way, South Africa didn't lift a finger for Rhodesia beyond diplomatic recognition. Afrikaners HATE Rhodesians who they consider to be the same englishmen who tried to anglicize South Africa.

[cutlassmama]

8. Yes and No...

British Foreign Minister Peter Hain, senior Zimbabwean Roman Catholic bishops and John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York and others accused Mugabe's government of racist policies.

The British role was long ago, but it was significant.

Mugabe is his own man. The brits did not make him, and he owns the mess he's made of Zimbabwe. At some point, we're gonna have to stop making excuses for brutal thugs. Africa wants to laud the man, fine, let them do so. Europe does'nt have to involve itself at all, and Zimbabwe will collapse under the disasterous policies that nutjob put in place, and the neighboring countries will get to deal with the fall out.

Don't be surprised though, when they run screaming to the UN, demanding help.

[Boojatta]

9. Kick