In November 2017, when Robert Mugabe was booted from power and Zimbabwe experienced a tug-of-war between Emmerson "the Crocodile" Mnangagwa and Grace "Not So Graceful" Mugabe, I immediately thought of Woody Allen's brilliant advice:
One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.
On July 30, 2018, Zimbabwe faced a better dilemma. Either vote for Mugabe's former right-hand man, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, or vote for the opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa.
It was a battle of the old versus the new.
The 75-year-old Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF party symbolized the status quo. Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Chamisa's MDC Alliance personified change.
The 21st-century has been lousy for Zimbabwe. Given Zimbabwe's troubles and Mnangagwa's tight association with those troubles, you'd think Chamisa would win by a landslide.
Things are not so simple in Zimbabwe.
Perhaps Robert Mugabe, former president of Zimbabwe, wondered, "It's a bit weird not voting for myself." Although we don't know his real thoughts, the 94-year-old Mugabe did say that he would not vote for Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa has won.
I am disappointed but not surprised.
Fortunately, the election day was peaceful. I suspect Zimbabwe will stay that way.
People only revolt when they're truly suffering, when they've truly had enough. Zimbabwe isn't at that breaking point.
As Gallup reported, confidence is low and people think that corruption is widespread.
My travel in Zimbabwe
When I visited Zimbabwe in 2016, the country was a mess. I picked up about 50 hitchhikers as I drove throughout the country. At that time, the Zimbabweans assumed that nothing would change until Mugabe died. I agreed with them.
Everyone was wrong.
I climbed Zimbabwe's tallest peak, Mount Nyangani, to admire the country from the highest point possible. I wondered the same thing I wondered when I overlooked the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe: when will Zimbabwe be great again?
When an African country does well, many analysts love to credit the people.
However, when an African country flounders, no one dares to blame the people. It's always the fault of the highest political leaders. The average Joe is always innocent.
Let's hope that Zimbabweans realize that, while this election was important and historic, ultimately, the fate of their country is in the hands of the people.
