Mugabe a cash cow!

Mugabe's departure will not translate into an immediate solution to the country's problems, even if donors and the international community pour in the billions of dollars they have promised.

Not everyone will be happy to see Mugabe go, however.

A lot of people have benefited from his political patronage and the corruption that he has allowed to pervade the country over the past two decades.

The Sampson Paweni food scandal of the early 1980s created the first group of nouveau riche, and so did the Willowgate Motor scandal at the end of the decade.

Indigenisation and the current land reform have also created millionaires and billionaires, who are probably scared to death whether they will be able to retain their wealth if a new government takes over because a lot of eyebrows will be raised about how they rose from rags to riches.

But Mugabe's departure, will no doubt be a starting point.

When he goes he will leave a trail of wealthy people.

Those who made money by supporting him.

Those who made money by opposing him.

And those who made money simply by writing about him.

Ed: If you found this story a little confusing, this is because it was published by The Insider in October 2003

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