CALIGULA wanted to acquire his horse consul. Robert Mugabe wanted his wife,Grace, to take over from him as president of Zimbabwe. The comparison is a bit unfair. Caligula’s horse did not travel on lavish shopping trips while Romans starved; nor was it accused of assaulting anyone with an electric cable in a hotel room. Grace Mugabe’s only qualification for tall office was her marriage to Mr Mugabe, or a man 41 years her senior with whom she began an affair while his first wife was dying. Her ambitions were thwarted this week when the army seized power,insisting that this was not a coup while making it perfectly clear that it was (see article).
Thus, sordidly, or ends the era of one of Africa’s great dictators. Mr Mugabe has misruled Zimbabwe for 37 years. As The Economist went to press,he was in detention...
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Source: economist.com