The past people's revolution in Tunisia and Egypt which managed to topple the dictators of both country have engulfed the whole of the middle-east is a natural phenomenon whose occurrence, duration and effectiveness cannot be guessed. Revolutions are as natural as evolution they cannot be stopped, delayed or even hurried. It is only the dictators whose iron grip of their countries blinds them to think that they can control a revolution with the same chutzpah and nonchalance that they control their regimes.
The seeds of the latest wave of revolutions were planted in Tunisia where Zine Ben Ali a ruthless and corrupt dictator had ruled for 23 years. It was an unlikely place for a revolution to begin, Tunisia is a tiny North African country with no international significance (I mean it has no oil, a very small army). Its all started in small town of Sidi Bouzid resident to 40 000 Tunisians similar to Marondera if you like. A 26 year old market vendor Mohammed Bouazizi had his goods confiscated by a municipal worker for not having a trading licence. Mohammed was expected to a pay a bribe to have his goods back, but on this occasion he refused to pay the bribe got into an argument with the municipal policewoman who slapped him. He tried to get his scale back from the local government building but they would not let him in. Instead of going home and plotting another hopeless exercise in selling vegetables illegally he went back home bought a litre of petrol and set himself on fire in front of the government building were his confiscated wares lay. The symbol of Mohammed burning himself touched ordinary Tunisians who flocked to Sidi Bouzid and started demonstrating, the anger quickly spread to other towns and its over a month now since Zine Ben Ali fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia.
Next was Egypt which first tried police repression, violence intimidation the usual weaponry available to dictators to quash the revolution but as I said there is no human intervention especially that cooked by the dictator can stop a revolution. Protesters defied the feared police and stayed in Tahir Square until Hosni Mubarak was forced out. The revolution fervour has now reached Libya where Muammar al Gaddafi has ruled Libya for 42 years, the demonstrations in Libya have been met with violent reaction in futile attempt to stop the revolution. As the army, the diplomats dessert Gaddafi you can smell it in the air that the time is right and Libyans can rid themselves the evil, racist despot and chart their own way to determine their lives and fate. There are similar demonstrations in Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria and as reported also in China.
You might ask what now for Zimbabwe, I think the seeds have been scattered enough to reach Zimbabwe. I do not know if it will happen this year or the next but once it starts the people will not go back. An interesting characteristic to take from the revolutionaries that have started this domino effect is that those suppressed by dictators world over they have cast away their fear and are willing to see the revolution to its end even if it means their death or that of their fellow citizens. The late political activist Tonderai Ndira who was brutally murdered by the genocidal government of Zimbabwe (RIP) once said,"Either way you die, whether you demonstrate against the government or not, you are condemned to die, people in Zimbabwe die from hunger, from easily treatable diseases". Mohammed Bouazizi realised that and its been implanted in minds of many young people all over the world whose futures are arrested by despots who rule their countries, they have shed that fear which has been a block in starting or participating in a revolution .
As I sign off I'm humming to Bob Marley's Bad Boy -"whatchu gonna do when they come for you?". The despots of the world better get ready the people are coming for you......
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