News Analysis

1.Who is Robert Mugabe? How long has he been in power? How popular is he?
Robert Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. He has been in power since 1980 as the head of government. In 1980 to1987 as Prime Minister and first executive head of sate since 1987. He is known for spending money in his parties that should be given to the country.

2.Who is Morgan Tsvangirai? Whicgh is/ has been his political role?
Morgan Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and President of the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai. His political role has been opposite from Mugabe. He is preoccupied because of the hospitals and the citizens of Zimbabwe.

3.What happened during last year's elections? Which was the outcome?
Tsvangirai last year said Mugabe's birthday party was "a gathering of the satisfied few." But at that point, he and the president were preparing to face off in a hotly contested presidential election.
The out come was that Mugabe won the elections.

4.What is the economic situation in Zimbabwe? How do the people feel about this?
The economic situation in Zimbabwe is catastrophic. The cholera outbreak has worsened Zimbabwe's economic crisis.
People are desperate. They are suffering from a cholera outbreak, food shortages, and spiraling hyperinflation. The Prime Minister visited a hospital that needed $30, 000 to resume operating in the intensive care unit.

5.What do you think about the celebrations and the lavish party?
I think these celebrations are very unfair. While people are suffering from cholera and closed hospitals the President is enjoying of parties and celebrations. If people can raise money for a party, they can also raise it for desperate citizens who are suffering for water, food and medicine.

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a) Give the conflict a name and explain why you think it is a conflict.
Majorities suffering; minorities celebrating
While the President is celebrating and raising money for his own good, people from Zimbabwe are dying. Hospitals are closing and people from intensive care are staying with out medical help and are dying.

b) Who is involved and why?
Citizens and the President are involved because while he spends money citizens are paying for the consequences.

c) Explain in detail why the conflict has happened.
People don’t know who they are voting for. Crisis was already happening in Zimbabwe and the President instead of helping, is worsening everything. People obviously are in disagreement, and they are devastated because of the health and economic crisis.

d) Give a timeline of events (at least 5) related to the conflict.

1)Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said it raised at least $250,000 to hold the party in Mugabe's hometown of Chinhoyi.
2)Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai visited a hospital's closed intensive care unit that he said needed $30,000 to resume operating.
3)Mugabe announced that his controversial land reform would not be reversed.
4)February 21: Mugabe's birthday
5)Once a darling of Zimbabwe, Mugabe is blamed for driving the country into a meltdown.
6)A cholera epidemic that broke out in August has since hit every corner of the country, killing 3,731 people and infecting nearly 80,000,
7)On Sunday, Tsvangirai appealed to the international community to help Zimbabwe's crippled economy, saying it would take $5 billion to stabilize the country
8)The cholera outbreak has worsened Zimbabwe's economic crisis

e) How do you think this conflict can be solved and why?
The problem can be solved getting this President out of the power and taking extreme decisions to save this country. I think people should be happy to have someone were they can feel security and not like Mugabe and his party.