Protests against the heavily disputed presidential election results in Zimbabwe led to troops opening fire on the streets of Harare with three dead. The party of Emmerson Mnanagwa, a former-enforcer for Robert Mugabe, is deemed to have achieved a two thirds majority (later reduced to 50.8%, just over the threshold to avoid a run off). EU observers allowed in for the first time say they observed several problems, including media bias, voter intimidation and mistrust in the electoral commission, adding that there was an “improved political climate, but un-level playing field and lack of trust”.
If and it’s a big if, Mnanagwa turns out to be better than Mugabe there will be a long haul back to a stable economy. The country has slid sharply backwards in the recent decades with malnutrition and diseases rife.
The Zim chart has Pluto opposition an Aries Sun, under pressure from tr Pluto squares until the mid 2020s, finishing up with tr Pluto square the midheaven. Later this autumn till next spring tr Uranus will also conjunct the Sun and oppose the midheaven, so the unrest will run on. Tr Neptune will move to oppose the 8th house (business finances) Saturn in 2021/2022 which won’t be good news. Only once Pluto moves into Aquarius in 2024/2025 and onwards is there likely to be a major uptick. There will be changes, perhaps rebellions in 2020/21 when tr Pluto sextiles the 10th house Uranus
Mnanagwa, 15 September 1946, has his Sun conjunct the Zim Saturn so he will be concerned about international investment; and his Jupiter Mars in Libra connects with the Zim Pluto, MC and Sun which could breathe new life and inspiration into the country – or give free rein to his opportunistic impulses, depending on which way it swings.
He’s not much loved, but isn’t as off-the-wall as Mugabe was; and he might just push through some much-needed reforms with a composite Sun trine Neptune, sextile Uranus in the relationship chart. Which if he wants outside investors in, will require a modicum of transparency and democracy and a nod to human rights.