Choosing Mugabe | FrontPage Magazine

Choosing Mugabe | FrontPage Magazine: "Zimbabwe’s first black prime minister recently died, amid little fanfare. Abel Muzorewa was a United Methodist bishop who replaced the Rhodesian white minority regime, only to be undermined by the Carter Administration and the Religious Left, who ultimately forced new elections that enthroned Robert Mugabe as dictator for three decades. Later, Mugabe would imprison Muzorewa, among his other crimes, about which most of the Religious Left was silent.

Throughout the 1970’s, Bishop Muzorewa opposed the white minority government while advocating a peaceful transition to democratic, majority rule. At one point, he was exiled to Mozambique and then returned home to a welcome by 100,000 well wishers. In the late 1970’s, Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith negotiated with Muzorewa and other black moderates for an end to white control, while guaranteeing a minority of legislative and cabinet seats to whites. Muzorewa, a lifelong Methodist who was educated in the U.S., became prime minister in 1979 in the first election of his nation to offer full franchise to blacks. Of course, Mugabe’s Patriotic Front guerrillas continued their armed struggle in their quest for power."