Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are. Last week, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who has had a firm grip on the country for the last 30 years, felt the need to tell the world who his friends are. Not surprisingly, they look a lot like him.

By Nkosana Dlamini, Harare

At the commemoration of Heroes Day last week, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe praised countries he said had defended his country against political aggression by the West.

“Internationally, a number of countries have stood firm behind Zimbabwe at the time of our greatest need, among which are our all weather friends like China, Russia, Cuba and Brazil,” Mugabe said. “These are countries which have always stood firmly in defence of Zimbabwe’s sovereign rights.”

Pariah state
Mugabe, whose country has been labeled a pariah state after it was deserted by erstwhile allies United States and the European Union, also praised neighbours Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

Since 2001, when America and the EU imposed an embargo and asset freeze on him, his loyalists and associated firms, Mugabe found himself drawing closer to leaders of countries such as Angola, Malawi, Equatorial Guinea, DRC and Iran.

Holding on to power
Political analysts say Mugabe’s choice of friends is now premised on securing allies in those countries whose leaders are seen as holding onto power at all costs.

“He is inclined towards friendship that mirrors his own behavior,” says Zimbabwean political analyst Pedzisayi Ruhanya. “The common denominator is their love for long incumbency sustained through dictatorship and a culture of not being accountable to anyone.”

Dumisani Muleya, assistant editor with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, says Mugabe’s relationship with these countries is ideological, historical and opportunistic. “Mugabe has found comfort among countries which share his radical stance against western political and economic world dominance,” he says.

“They are all inclined towards state ownership of the means of production.” Mugabe accuses the West, led by America and Britain, of continued attempts to rule and dictate to the world.

Chinese colony
Muleya says Mugabe’s friendship with countries like China and Equatorial Guinea is based on survival. China has invested millions of dollars in Zimbabwe’s mining and agricultural sector and is also helping build a military school in the oil-rich country. China and Russia 2008 vetoed a UN Security Council resolution seeking sanctions against the government of Zimbabwe, its president and members of his inner circle.

Mugabe withdrew his country from the Commonwealth, where it enjoyed trade relations with the former British colonies. Instead, he strenghtened economic ties with Asian countries under the controversial Look East policy.

Some ordinary Zimbabweans see Mugabe, who is fiercely opposed to western imperialism, is opening up too much to China, to a point where the country can now be labeled a Chinese colony.

Elderly statesman
Regionally, Mugabe now finds himself among younger rulers who succeeded revolutionary leaders who led their countries to independence.

Although they differ with his radical policies, Mugabe’s regional peers see him as an elderly statesman who should not be criticised publicly. Some African countries maintain relations with Mugabe out of African solidarity alone.

Mugabe would readily align himself with any country that is fighting any western intervention, a recent example being his support for the former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo critisised NATO for its military intervention in Libya.