Zimbabwe Elections Underway as Mugabe Seeks to Remain in Power

Zimbabweans went to the polls today. Standing against each other in the contest for the presidency were, for the third time, President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Their respective political parties, the ZANU-PF and Movement for Democratic Change, battled for the control of the country’s Parliament.

None can be sure about the outcome, but smart money must be on the 89-year-old dictator, who seems determined to extend his 33-year hold on power. Mugabe has managed to hang on to the presidency in more difficult circumstances, murdering his way to electoral “victory” in the midst of hyperinflation and economic meltdown in 2008. He is likely to “win” again.

Those who are interested in the situation in Zimbabwe might like to read my take on the Zimbabwean economy in Foreign Policy and Washington Times. Also, Craig Richardson, associate professor of economics at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, has analyzed the country’s recent economic performance in a Cato Institute study titled “Zimbabwe: Why is One of the World’s Least-Free Economies Growing So Fast?” Last but not least, check out Cato’s Zimbabwe page that discusses, among other things, Zimbabwe’s experience with hyperinflation.