Tag: Zimbabwe

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cancelled the Senate's traditional August recess this year, but one senator didn't listen - and flew off to Zimbabwe. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth analysis of daily headlines,…

And Zimbabwean psychedelic rock band Wells Fargo had a hit with a song called, "Watch Out." We had to change it to, 'Watch out, big storm is coming.'" The group mostly plays covers — they are much less famous than Wells Fargo was — and nearly all of the musicians are about 40 years younger than Chitambo. They have only ever known a Zimbabwe ruled by Mugabe. The group sits around a table at a hotel bar in the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, before a gig and the younger musicians have questions for Chitambo about making music in politically charged times. He asks Chitambo if he should sing about the changes in their country and make songs that "touch the people's hearts." This election will be the first Mabhena has ever voted in. Friends Band's 27-year-old singer Zinzile Majola says it felt like a window opened when Mugabe left. And just as Wells Fargo sang about freedom coming at the birth of Zimbabwe independence, Mabhena says he wants to write a song about the better Zimbabwe he hopes is coming after this month's election. "The song I will write about is a song believing change is near and there is hope."

But despite the efforts of the government to improve its reputation, the politics of fear continues to undermine the prospects for a free and fair election. Having replaced Robert Mugabe after he was forced from power by the military in November, Mnangagwa is desperate to present himself as a “change” candidate. But many Zimbabweans don’t believe the hype. “I don’t know,” one opposition supporter told me. Having promised elections observed by international monitors — something that was not allowed under Mugabe — the president has delivered. Recent data collected by the Heal Zimbabwe Trust and We The People are troubling. Scores of human rights violations are happening every week, and the vast majority are committed by ruling party or state officials. The widespread use of subtle violence places election observers in a bind. If the international community is to effectively respond, it is essential that election observers don’t wait until after the elections to raise concerns. Others need to do the same — and fast — if elections in the new Zimbabwe are to offer citizens a genuine choice of which party they want to govern their country.

In defiance of his party, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe refused to step down from the presidency- paving the way for his party to impeach him in Parliament. CNN's Robyn Kriel has more.

After rolling back an Obama-era policy banning the import of animal trophies to the U.S. from Zimbabwe & Zambia, Trump halted that change - at least temporarily. Jeff Corwin joins to discuss. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is…