A
week
later
on
the
21st,
President
Mugabe
turned
in
his
resignation
letter
just
as
the
impeachment
process
in
Parliament
began.
I
watched
all
this
from
my
dorm
room,
terrified
that
the
bloodshed
and
pillage
that
I
had
seen
in
other
countries
like
Syria,
Somalia
and
Egypt
had
come
to
my
home.
I
feared
for
the
safety
of
my
family
back
home.
The
army,
however,
was
quick
to
put
out
the
disclaimer
that
its
actions
were
not
a
coup
and
news
from
my
family,
friends,
and
other
countrymen
mirrored
these
sentiments.
Watching
the
events
unfold,
the
peace
that
pervades
Zimbabwean
atmosphere
right
now
and
the
hope
for
a
future
without
Mugabe
has
me
reflecting
on
some
of
the
things
that
characterized
my
21
years
living
under
the
Mugabe
regime.
The
Cult
of
Personality
Whenever
people
who
know
the
political
situation
of
Zimbabwe
find
out
my
nationality,
they
always
ask
what
is
it
like
to
have
a
93-year
old
president.
While
my
American
classmates
have
lived
through
three
or
four
presidencies,
I
have
only
known
one.
Years
of
propaganda
and
Mugabe’s
charisma
have
not
left
me
unscathed.
Listening
to
his
speeches
had
the
same
effect
as
listening
to
Obama
speak
has
for
many
Americans.
Mugabe
is
charming,
energetic,
articulate,
funny,
and
smart.
He
has
a
way
of
working
a
crowd
such
that
you
can’t
help
but
feel
a
fondness
for
him.
I
was
part
of
the
population
in
my
country
that
even
believed
that
Mugabe
was
infallible,
almost
immortal.
Indeed,
there
are
several
myths
of
immortality
surrounding
him,
one
of
the
most
popular
being
that
Mugabe
ate
the
heart
of
a
tortoise
and
so
will
live
the
same
life
span
as
a
turtle,
which
can
live
up
to
200
years.
This
is
ridiculous,
of
course,
but
that’s
the
effect
of
the
Cult
of
Personality.
Fear
of
Speaking
Out
I
cannot
stress
the
level
of
anxiety
I
have
writing
this
article
right
now.
Even
though
Mugabe
has
resigned
and
seems
to
have
lost
his
political
clout,
I
am
still
afraid
of
him.
I
am
afraid
that
tomorrow
I
will
wake
up
and
be
charged
for
treason
for
even
putting
these
thoughts
down.
That’s
what
speaking
out
in
Zimbabwe
entailed
under
Mugabe
–
being
charged
with
“subverting
the
authority
of
a
constitutionally
elected
government.”
While
studying
abroad
I
have
often
been
envious
of
how
people
in
the
US
can
easily
express
their
dissatisfaction
and
not
expect
any
repercussions.
Coming
from
a
country
with
state
owned
media,
a
ruthless
secret
police,
and
a
highly
trained
riot
police,
organizing
and
attending
protests
is
not
as
easy
as
it
is
here.
Even
writing
an
op-ed
can
land
you
in
jail.
Loss
of
Hope
I’ve
lived
through
holding
a
10
billion
dollar
note
in
my
hand
that
couldn’t
buy
a
loaf
of
bread.
I’ve
lived
through
water
shortages
and
food
shortages
and
the
adoption
of
a
chaotic
multi-currency
system
in
which
you
buy
goods
in
one
currency
and
receive
change
in
another.
My
country
currently
has
one
of
the
highest
unemployment
rates
—
I
know
more
than
20
degreed
and
highly
educated
people
who
have
no
jobs.
This
made
me
and
many
others
my
age
lose
hope.
Most
of
us
looked
for
opportunities
beyond
borders;
many
Zimbabweans
are
in
South
Africa,
Canada,
Ireland,
and
the
US.
Those
who
remain
hope
to
leave
soon,
too.
Nobody
chooses
to
leave
the
familiarity
of
their
home
out
of
a
whim
—
all
Zimbabwean
immigrants
were
forced
beyond
their
borders
and
yearn
for
home.
While
Zimbabweans
wait
anxiously
to
see
how
Mugabe’s
successor
will
fair,
we
hope
that
after
this
cut-off
head
falls
down,
another
won’t
sprout
in
its
place.
The
experiences
I
have
detailed
are
not
at
all
exhaustive.
they’re
just
the
surface
of
a
very
rotten
regime.
Even
though
there
is
uncertainty
at
the
moment
in
my
country
and
in
the
diaspora,
this
is
the
first
time
in
37
years
that
Zimbabweans
have
hope
for
a
change.
As
we
move
into
a
new
era,
I
hope
we
can
consolidate
the
gains
of
this
“non-coup”
and
usher
in
a
stable
democracy
and
economic
prosperity.
Source:
THE
ELEPHANT
IN
THE
ROOM
|
21
Years
Living
Under
a
Dictatorship
–
The
Cornell
Daily
Sun
Post
published
in:
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