We have had Mugabe at the helm of Zimbabwean politics for almost 29 years – and even before then as the illustrious ‘freedom fighter’ leader. And he has done little more than ruin the country in this time.

Mugabe has lied time and time again to the Zimbabwean people - going back to before independence in April 1980.

The constitution of the country calls for anyone who wishes to stand as President to be 100% Zimbabwean. Mugabe is half Malawian and isn’t even honest enough to use his real surname - Matibili.

As I highlighted in the editorial “Painted Into A Corner - Has The MDC Capitulated?”, Mugabe is incapable of telling the truth… then or now.

Now, with the power-share government on the cards, I do not believe that Mugabe will play the game straight, and he will deny the people of Zimbabwe the option they so desperately yearn for - democracy.

This is the man who callously states, “We taught England democracy through the barrel of a gun!” - an oxymoron if ever there was one.

He has delayed and deferred the creation of a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe for ten months - and that period is sure to lengthen as he throws even more excuses, ‘reasons’ and problems into the mix.

The first and most obvious problem facing a ZANU PF/MDC government is the ministry split in cabinet. Mugabe’s party has already grabbed the kingpin ministries and left the dross for the MDC.

Mugabe wishes to maintain control of finance, the military, the police and more. Hardly a ‘power-share’…

Morgan Tsvangirai addresses supporters in Harare following his return from the summit in South Africa

In the meantime, senior ZANU PF member has called for an acceleration of the ongoing a land grab before Tsvangirai takes the office of Prime Minister. ZANU PF refuses to reverse the land grab and by accelerating the invasions, they are adding to the confusion and chaos in the country, whilst enriching their own members - all at a huge cost to the Zimbabwean people.

Interestingly enough, the former Minister of Justice, now the Acting Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa, last week presented the 2009 budget. Perhaps the most interesting reveal in the budget is an open and deliberate abandonment of the Zimbabwean dollar.

Roll the clock back 29 years, and that same dollar trade at almost the same as the greenback.

When we left Zimbabwe very late in 1997, the dollar was trading at 64 to the pound.

Nowadays the dollar trades at millions to the pound.

Why did it take so long for the authorities to dollar rise?

Very simply, I believe that Mugabe is leading the Zimbabwean people on a merry dance and he has no real intention of sharing anything. He will harry and resist any attempt by the MDC to heal the nation. Any improvement in the ways of government and the lives of Zimbabweans will be denied, stopped and delayed by ZANU PF - for two reasons…

Firstly, ZANU PF do not want the people or the free world to be shown just how they have hoodwinked and cheated the people - and secondly, they have no wish to be shown up by the MDC, a party that Mugabe considers a junior partner, inexperienced and a Western puppet.

ZANU PF in general, and Mugabe in particular, is quite happy to continue living the lie…

Robb WJ Ellis The Bearded Man