From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:ZIMBABWE: CLINTON'S VICTORY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 02:11:41 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: ZIMBABWE: CLINTON'S VICTORY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE /REPEAT/


an inter press service feature

by andrew zhakata

harare, nov 4 (ips) -- neither the democrats' comeback to the
u.s. administration nor the fall of the republicans after
tuesday's presidential election could cause shakes in africa.

''the outcome does not affect us at all because whoever the
new president is, u.s foreign policy is unlikely to change'',
keith simpson, an editor with 'the herald', zimbabwe's
state-owned daily, told ips wednesday.

although many zimbabweans, like the rest of africa, got the
news of bill clinton's victory in the small hours of wednesday,
it was one of the usual items flashed by local radio stations
at breakfast time.

president george bush's exit from the white house in january
1993 and the inauguration of clinton as his successor sounds as
routine etiquette to many zimbabweans.

whether a democrat or republican occupies the oval office in
the white house, according to news-vendor joshua malati, it
makes no difference to far-flung developing nations.

''politicians are there to rule the country but not to be
trusted. we can say clinton is better than bush but let us not
forget that politicians are good at making promises which they
cannot fulfil'', malati told ips on the eve of the u.s.
elections.

although clinton's victory has ended three consecutive terms
of uninterrupted republican party administration, simpson says
washington will always want to maintain the upper hand on third
world affairs because it ''holds the purse strings in so many
international bodies''.

''the foreign policy of u.s. democrats and republicans seldom
differs substantially'', says harare-based publisher ibbo
mandaza. however, he notes that ''many zimbabweans'' pinned
their hopes in clinton for washington to adopt a less aggressive
stance in its international relations.

''the u.s. electorate likes a strong government. they like to
see their country taking a lead in all spheres in the world --
and they admire a bully, as long as they are not victimised
themselves'', adds mandaza, who is a political scientist.

in the publisher's opinion, bush has been an aggressive chief
executive whose goal was making the u.s. the sole superpower in
the world. mandaza says bush attained his ambition after the
fragmentation of the soviet union. (more/ips)


zimbabwe: clinton's (2)

but zimbabwean herbalist titus mudzimu sees a ray of hope for
peace in africa brought about by the forthcoming change of
administration in the united states.

''bush's foreign policy has caused troubles in angola, zaire,
ethiopia and many other african states which had communist,
marxist or socialist inclinations'', mudzimu told ips.

the herbalist blames bush's aggressive attitude for creating
dictatorships in africa.

''today africa is falling apart because of civil wars fanned
and fuelled by the bush administration.

''brother is fighting against brother, and children and
mothers are dying because of bush's foreign policy. mentioning
bush's name causes nightmares to many people in conflict-torn
african states'', mudzimu told ips.

father oskar wermter, spokesperson of zimbabwe catholic
bishop's conference, says the u.s. elections may not be of any
significance to africa, but it gives an opportunity to young
democracies in africa to draw a lesson from an advanced
multiparty system.

meanwhile, a zimbabwean veteran politician and leader of an
opposition party, has called on african leaders to take their
cue from bush to concede defeat when it becomes inevitable.

rev. ndabaningi sithole, leader of zimbabwe african national
union (ndonga), told ips wednesday: ''when bush lost to clinton
he accepted it amicably, something that is very rare here in
africa where we have dictators who want to cling to power, even
if it is through rigging votes''. (end/ips/az/ar/apc/92)
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