Mugabe had the opportunity to free the masses of Zimbabwe from the oppressive nature of the colonial system, but he blew it . His decision to follow the neo-colonial path and to turn his back on democratization brought Zimbabwe to its knees. It is my hope that the new Prime Minister not make the same mistake. Free elections as the situation in Zimbabwe has brought to the fore is one part of the solution. The other part is immediate legal land reform that recognizes the historical destruction of cultural system of ownership and production of food. Mugabe's failure is his lack of recognition that land reform should have been the backbone of the process of democratic renewal which began with his election. He turned his back on history and the oppressive nature of history. I hope that his successors learn from that mistake.