So - here we are, nine days after the election - no wiser, no closer to democratic rule in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe is playing all his cards at once, and it is such a fine edge, that his knife has slipped between the ribs of democracy, and we haven’t realised the seriousness of the wound.

I mean - come on! Even Grace Mugabe attempted to put an end to this fiasco. But Mugabe decided to carry on - and at what cost to the good people of Zimbabwe?

At what cost to his own children (reportedly his) who are being bullied at school? Knowing Mugabe, he will send the CIO in to teach a lesson to the children that have been riding his children. You think perhaps not? Mugabe always goes for the jugular - and if that means children, women or the infirm, so be it.

The man has lost all recognisance of law and order. He respects no one but his own skin.

His party have cried foul over sixteen constituencies in the Parliamentary election. The law says a recount can only be called for up to 48 hours after the announcing of the results. So his two-day statute of limitations has expired… but what is the bet that somehow the ZEC weasel out of it?

Meanwhile, the Presidential results have still not been made public, but Mugabe would appear to be privy to them as he is already playing for a second round. And his Presidential powers allow him to declare a 90 day stay to the second round, as opposed to the standard 21 days.

Ninety days is a very long time in Zimbabwean politics.

The damage which he can wreak in that period is truly huge. It sounds difficult that he can make things worse in a country already on its knees. But Mugabe is a determined character, and he will use whatever tools, manipulations and mechanisations at his disposal to achieve his aim - to stay in power.

And he has started already. On Saturday a number of farmers in the Masvingo area were over-run by war veterans. Well, ‘war veterans’ in name alone - some of them weren’t even born at Zimbabwean independence in 1980.

More farms were over-run in the Centenary area.

A policeman lies in jail for questioning the counting procedure. His crime? “Engaging in political activities.”

What has the illustrious Commissioner of Police been doing for all these years? Engaging in political activities!

If they imprison a lowly constable for questioning the counting process, what are we to do with Chihuri? But the powers that be are silent in this regard.

There was a deadline for the results of the Presidential elections to be published. The deadline came and went - the ZEC (an assumedly autonomous body - appointed for the purpose by none other than Mugabe himself) makes the excuse that they have ‘logistical’ problems. Does that mean that they are struggling with reworking the ballot figures to suit Mugabe?

How come he seems to know the result, but no one else does?

The MDC, the party with a majority in Parliament, made application to the High Court for the results to be published. On Saturday, the case was deferred to Sunday. On Sunday it was again deferred to Monday. Today it was deferred until tomorrow.

Every day that the result remains unknown and unpublished is another day with Mugabe at the top of the tree.

But surely it is a simple case of ordering ZEC to publish? Not that easy - you see the judiciary is filled from top to bottom with pro-Mugabe decision makers. Like this, by way of example: “High court judge Tendai Uchena sits on the Electoral Court an extension of ZEC which is made up of Harare justices Antonia Guvava and in Bulawayo, Nicholas Ndou.” It is Uchena that is hearing the case!

A definite conflict of interest.

I preferred it when we were under the impression that Mugabe had skipped the country.

First Lady, Amazing (Dis)Grace would have preferred that Mugabe do not fight the second round, but people like Constantine Chiwenga, Perence Shiri and Augustine Chihuri (army, air force and police chiefs respectively) have argued that they don’t want be left out in the cold if he admits defeat.

Let’s face it - these men (!) are responsible for much of the destruction of Zimbabwe and have no want or desire to face criminal charges for their actions. And they will defend themselves with the excuse that they were just carrying out Mugabe’s orders.

But in the eyes of the law, that will not wash. If an officer orders a junior rank to kill somebody, and he does - both the junior rank and the officer are guilty of murder. Not one or the other. And murder has not statute of limitations. It is a ‘continuing’ crime, so time cannot save them.

These men - and many more besides - are as guilty today as the day that each atrocity took place. They have the blood of Zimbabweans on their hands. And no amount of water will wash it off. Unless Mugabe is able to rule until his death and they die before him (unlikely), they will see themselves in court.

But even if he manages to stay in power, these people will spend every day of their lives looking over their shoulders.

And I don’t just mean for the Gukurahundi, I mean for the death during the ongoing land grab - farmers, workers, activists - and then there are those that perished in Murambatsvina…

What about those who perished because the health delivery service has collapsed?

Mugabe would prefer to buy fighter aircraft to use on his people before he buys much needed medication and medical equipment. He prefers to buy tear gas and pepper spray before he sorts out the educational system which has largely ceased to exist.

He would prefer that his own henchmen grab land - by any means - rather than accounting for the money that his government was handed for the peaceful purchase of land on a ‘willing buyer - willing seller’ basis…

I see nothing ‘willing’ about the besieging of farms in Masvingo these last few days - nothing ‘willing’ when Martin Olds was shot dead by attacking veterans, or when Martin’s mother, Gloria, was brutally murdered…

There was a time in Zimbabwe when we could hear music around us all the time and the happy chatter of children – of all colours – as they amused themselves at play. I see no enjoyment of the children, reduced to eating just one meal a day (if they are luck).

Mugabe has taken the happiness - the very fabric of society - away from the people. And they are the very people that he would steal the votes from to stay in power.

And Mugabe believes that if he puts himself up for a second round against Morgan Tsvangirai - with the assistance of his veterans, his youth militia, the army and the police - he can bully the electorate one more time to return him to power.

No!

Gushongo (Mugabe’s totem) - it is time to leave the political arena. You cannot force the will of the people. Not now - not ever again.

Not only are you bankrupt in the true sense of the word, you are morally bankrupt and without mistake, you are a reprehensible individual. Your legacy is one of destruction, bigotry and suffering.

Mhosva anopera. It is over.

Admit it and go.