News of the imminent fall of long serving Libyan dictator Murmur Gadaffi, a long time ally to Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, has generated a lot of interest among Zimbabweans fighting Mugabe’s 31 years of rule.

By Nkosana Dlamini, Harare

“There is hope for oppressed people in Africa who have resigned themselves to believing the dictator was immortal,” says Nomatter Mutanga, a student teacher.

“This is a victory to us Zimbabweans. This is a message to other surviving dictators that they cannot hold down the people forever,” says Knowledge Magwenzi, a supporter of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party.

Anticipation
Since Sunday, when the international media started covering the Libyan leader’s spectacular fall, Zimbabweans have been glued to their screens.

Some have celebrated Gadaffi’s fall by sharing facebook posts.  

The interest in Zimbabwe has also been exacerbated by rumours that the cornered Libyan leader could find sanctuary in their country.

Zimbabweans resent the possible arrival of the ousted Libyan dictator after rumours spread that Gadaffi was considering Zimbabwe as a possible place for exile.

Tsvangirai’s party says Gadaffi is not welcome in Zimbabwe.

Few Common ties
Apart from a short-lived deal, in which Libya would supply Zimbabwe with oil in exchange for Zimbabwean farm produce, the two countries have no meaningful history of economic or political ties.

But over the years, Mugabe has found common ground with Gadaffi over his refusal to relinquish absolute control over the country.

Mugabe this month accused NATO of being a "terrorist organisation" fighting to kill Gadaffi. NATO is helping Libyan rebels fighting to oust Gadaffi.

Volatile situation
Zimbabwe’s state media has avoided footage of the North African uprisings for fear of inflaming an already volatile situation in Zimbabwe.

Most Zimbabweans will certainly celebrate Gadaffi’s fall in different ways. But few will have the courage to openly state that they wished the same misfortune could befall their own leader.

Mugabe and his party have a habit of crushing any form of opposition to their rule.

Arrests
Zimbabweans recall how earlier this year former opposition legislator Munyaradzi Gwisai and other social rights activists were arrested and charged with treason for arranging a meeting to celebrate the ousting of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“2011 does not belong to dictators. Gadaffi is gone. There is one other dictator who is left,” says Harare citizen, Audrey Maphosa, in apparent reference to President Mugabe.

But Mugabe’s loyalists see events in Libya as the bullying of a smaller African nation by the mighty Western countries out to plunder Libyan resources.