Threats and Golden Parachutes

Well, it looks like I called it on April 1, 2008:

Mugabe will have to be given quite the golden parachute to make that happen. He still has support from the military and unless the military sees the writing on the wall and chooses to follow the election results that show the opposition clearly winning, they may continue to enable Mugabe's hold on power to the detriment of all Zimbabweans.

He wants immunity against prosecution for past crimes in exchange for a peaceful transfer according to The Guardian. He's used carrots and sticks before, and this time he's using the carrot as the stick - you want me to go away peacefully, you've got to give me what I want:

Robert Mugabe’s aides have told Zimbabwe’s opposition leaders that he is prepared to give up power in return for guarantees, including immunity from prosecution for past crimes.

But the aides have warned that if the Movement for Democratic Change does not agree then Mugabe is threatening to declare emergency rule and force another presidential election in 90 days, according to senior opposition sources.

The opposition said the MDC leadership is in direct talks with the highest levels of the army but it is treating the approach with caution because they are distrustful of the individuals involved and calling for direct contact with the president, fearing delaying tactics.

Those fears were reinforced last night when at one point Zimbabwe’s election commission abruptly halted the release of official results from the Saturday’s election for “logistical reasons” and the police raided opposition offices.

This would also mean that Mugabe would have to go into exile somewhere - some third party would have to take him in and give him a comfortable lifestyle and I'm sure he'd prefer a country that doesn't have extradition rights with Zimbabwe or any of the other nations against whom he'd engaged in criminal acts. As is the case with these things, I'm sure that some country will take him in and let him life the comfortable life for the rest of his days, as his victims, the people of Zimbabwe, just struggle to live day to day and put their shattered economy back together again.

Ed Morrissey has more.

UPDATE:
This isn't surprising. The arrest of two journalists yesterday was really nothing more than an attempt to intimidate them. The cases against the two journalists were baseless.

New York Times correspondent Barry Bearak, 58, and a 45-year-old journalist from Britain were both detained on Thursday during a raid on a Harare guest house and later charged with breaching the country's tough media laws.

Police say the reporters had been trying to cover the country's general election without authorisation.

Mugabe's supporters are trying to make a show of their support to keep him around a while longer.

Hundreds of guerrilla war veterans who support President Robert Mugabe marched through the capital Friday, raising fears he might turn to violence to prolong his rule.

Police escorted about 400 veterans who fought in the bush war that helped end white minority rule and often are used to intimidate opposition supporters. They also spearheaded the often violent takeover of white farms in recent years.

Mugabe's embattled ZANU-PF party gathered Friday, its first meeting since it lost control of parliament in weekend elections. The opposition claims to have won the presidency as well, but official returns in that race have not yet been released.

This Is Zimbabwe has much more, including reports of roadblocks going up around the country and other related matters.

UPDATE:
Mugabe isn't convinced that he needs to leave the political scene in Zimbabwe. He's going to stick around for a while longer, much to the detriment of all involved. Meanwhile, the New York Times reporter arrested yesterday is still in jail on trumped up charges after the government overruled the country's attorney general who ruled that the charges were bogus. Mugabe has managed to stick around by limiting access to news reports and controlling the media, and this situation is no different.