Mugabe and Zimbabwe

The reason why Mugabe has been able to hang onto power for so long, despite naked repression and economic meltdown, long after the exhaustion of his brand of nationalism, is that the politics of the opposition leadership has genuinely been underwhelming.

Perhaps. Mugabe did attempt to institute badly needed land reforms. But he broke the law in doing so and then parcelled out the land to cronies, so this is hardly exemplary. Once a thug has installed himself in power, he can be difficult to remove. So, rather than blame the opposition, who routinely get jailed and tortured, I say, blame Mugabe.