Mugabe's Inauguration: It Was Acceptable in the 80s

President Mugabe's inauguration, delayed by accusations of vote rigging, will happen today in Harare. Read around the subject with Think Africa Press.

Robert Mugabe is set to present his inauguration as a second independence celebration. Photo by A-Birdie.

By Rosie Hore

 

In Harare today, President Robert Mugabe, 89, the man who has dominated Zimbabwean politics for over three decades, will be inaugurated for another term. The inauguration ceremony follows the decision by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday deeming the election on July 31 free and fair, despite vehement claims from the opposition to the contrary and significant concerns from the international community.

The ceremony had been delayed by a court petition by opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in protest at what he deemed to be a rigged vote, but he dropped the case last Friday. Nonetheless, Tsvangirai has said he will boycott the inauguration today.

Mugabe will return from the SADC summit in Malawi to attend, where his victory was endorsed and he was appointed as the next chairperson of the regional grouping. Many of the SADC heads of state are expected in Harare today, after calling this week for the West to lift all sanctions still imposed on Zimbabwe.

Today is a national holiday in Zimbabwe, to allow people to take advantage of the free buses and trains provided to ferry supporters to the ceremony at the national sports stadium in the capital, with an expected 85,000 to attend. Most expect ZANU-PF to go all out, likening what may be Mugabe’s last inauguration to the independence celebrations in 1980, which included a performance by Bob Marley.

As Mugabe is signed into office once again, Think Africa Press looks back at the disputed election and Mugabe’s Zimbabwe thus far: