The rape of democracy

Now this is unsurprising: Robert Mugabe is being sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president for another five years, after winning the recent “run-off” election by a landslide.

I guess this is his warped idea of democratic legitimacy.  But when he’s blocked earlier outcomes, subdued all political opposition and threatened voters with extreme violence, it’s obviously nothing of the sort.  It would almost be farcical, were it not for the further suffering to which this “result” condemns Zimbabwe’s people.

It can only be hoped that the international community responds accordingly, starting at the African Union summit in Egypt tomorrow.

Expect more on this from our correspondent in Zimbabwe, Maurice Gerard.