The world has tolerated Mugabe for far too long

Friday's run-off presidential election in Zimbabwe was nothing but a sham and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was right to have boycotted it. Murdering members of the opposition, forcing people to vote for the ruling party and using security forces to terrorise those suspected of being in favour of the opposition make it impossible for a free and fair election to take place.

President Robert Mugabe's outrageous statement that the opposition will never take power in Zimbabwe because his militias will go to war once again to prevent this from happening is proof that this dictator will never give up power voluntarily. "Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British," he said, adding that "We will never allow an event like an election to reverse our independence, our sovereignty."

What else is needed to prove that Mugabe is not interested in elections or democracy? He simply wants to hold on to power and will do anything to achieve his goal. There is no doubt that the international community - especially Africa - has been far too tolerant of the Mugabe regime. Now, however, it seems that the world has lost patience with this man.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned "the campaign of violence against the political opposition" ahead of the second round of the presidential election in Zimbabwe. Although the UN resolution was non-binding and offered no specific threats or measures against the Mugabe regime, it is nevertheless a significant development and will send a clear message to the generals in Zimbabwe who are keeping Mugabe in power.

The ruling ANC in South Africa - which has shamefully kept quiet about Zimbabwe for far too long - has finally started to criticise Mugabe's behaviour, but not South African President Thabo Mbeki, who claims his mediating efforts compel him to adopt a neutral stand.

I think this is a flawed argument, because South Africa has the means to remove Mugabe from power and Mbeki has the moral duty to speak out against what is happening in Zimbabwe. Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai cannot be treated as equal players - because Mugabe holds all the cards and is the one oppressing his people and suppressing democracy.

However, the criticism of Mugabe by Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu certainly carried a lot of weight and the fact that the members of the Southern African Development Community - Zimbabwe's neighbours - asked for the run-off election to be postponed is significant.

What is needed now is a united strong international response to this fake and stolen election. The international community - particularly South Africa - is morally bound to put an end to this tyranny once and for all. The South Africans must never forget that it was the constant pressure and action of the outside world that managed to end apartheid in South Africa.

The same international res-ponse is now needed to get rid of Mugabe, who should no longer be recognised as President. The EU, the Commonwealth (from which Zimbabwe has been expelled), the US, the UN and most importantly Africa, must step up the pressure on Mugabe.

There is only so much the EU and the US can do besides not recognising Mugabe's re-election - stricter travel sanctions against members of the regime and their families is one option and economic sanctions could be considered, but these might end up hurting ordinary Zimbabweans more than the regime.

However, real pressure can be exerted by South Africa and Zimbabwe's other neighbours, as well as the UN, who must insist on a new internationally-supervised free and fair presidential election, the immediate end of state sponsored violence and political intimidation, the immediate release of all political prisoners, the swearing in of the MPs who were elected in March's parliamentary elections and the formation of a new transitional government which will include members of the MDC - to oversee the presidential election.

The army must return to its barracks and an African Union military force must be allowed to help provide security until a new president is elected. Should Mugabe refuse to co-operate - which is likely - Zimbabwe should be suspended from the African Union and from the Southern African Development Community, and the UN should brand his regime illegitimate and consider possible sanctions against him. South Africa has the power to literally switch off the lights in Zimbabwe, by cutting off its electricity supply. It should consider doing just that.

One might ask whether Mugabe actually cares if the international community isolates his regime. After all, as long as he can rely on the loyalty of his security forces and close aides, he will probably remain in office and continue to defy the world and the opposition.

However, this is why the international outcry must continue. As the country continues to slide into economic and political chaos, as Zimbabwe's isolation intensifies and as talk about the UN authorising legal action against Mugabe and his cronies for crimes against humanity is stepped up, some senior members of the ruling Zanu-PF party and of the armed forces might be tempted to do a deal with the opposition or the African Union to get rid of Mugabe, pave the way for a free election - and save their skin in the process.

Mugabe is no longer the so-called liberation leader some people once admired. He is a tyrant who has stolen elections, murdered his opponents, impoverished his nation and killed democracy. There is nothing racist or colonial (as he is claiming) in opposing him. He and his thugs have been tolerated for too long. Africa must get rid of him once and for all.