Africa can be a depressing place to turn to for any political commentator.

The challenges that the people of Africa face are severe: AIDS, civil wars and famines come to mind. But in some countries, such as Botswana, Ghana and South Africa, leaders and citizens have bravely risen to the challenge by fostering democracy, pluralistic reconciliation and economic development.

Zimbabwe has not been so fortunate. Its political head, Robert Mugabe, has been in power since 1980, when he overthrew the racist white government only to replace it with a racist black government.

While he’s never managed to establish a complete dictatorship, Mugabe has certainly maintained his grip on power through intimidation, censorship, vote-rigging, populist “redistribution” of private property and other forms of political manipulation.

His primary opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, was arrested and tortured by members of the Zimbabwean military in March 2007.

A brave photojournalist, Edward Chikombo, smuggled out evidence of this torture; Western attention to this political intimidation has protected Tsvangirai from further physical harm, but Chikombo himself was murdered after the incident.

Most Zimbabweans are billionaires, but they are none too happy about it.

If you think the dollar is dropping fast, get this: The BBC reports that in February 2008, inflation in Zimbabwe was sitting at a staggering 165,000 percent, despite (unintentionally comical) government decrees declaring inflation “illegal.”

The government has continued to print hundreds of trillions of Zimbabwean dollars every week to buy votes for Mugabe and to pay for out-of-control spending. Public discontent with the resulting economic malaise and rampant shortages is at an all-time high; in this year’s elections, political opponents such as Tsvangirai have a real shot at taking control of the government despite Mugabe’s vote-rigging.

But Mugabe isn’t going to go quietly. He has refused to release the results of the March 29 presidential election; all other signs are pointing to a narrow but definite Tsvangirai victory.

To avoid international pressure, Mugabe and his cronies have resorted to bashing the West, blaming colonialism for Zimbabwe’s problems.

Come on, Bob. The ghost of Cecil Rhodes is not forcing you to destroy the economy by printing 170 trillion Zimbabwean dollars a week to buy votes.

There is no law stating that Africa, despite all its disadvantages, must be a cesspool of corrupt populist autocrats. Zimbabwe has leaders who aspire to improve the lot of their people and reserves of human capital that will pull the country’s economy forward if the political environment is favorable.

But support from abroad can make a decisive impact in helping Zimbabweans struggling against Mugabe.

Some universities have revoked or are considering revoking honorary degrees they previously awarded him.

Many corporations have already voted with their feet, preferring not to do business in a country where the government could steal their assets at any moment. Now, Western governments need to unequivocally support the pro-democracy voices of people like Tsvangirai if they are to remain true to their own democratic governing philosophy and to their stated intentions of fighting poverty in Africa.

Undemocratic leaders such as Mugabe rely on force and intimidation to remain in power.

When this blunt instrument fails, they are often unable to maintain their grip. Mugabe’s stranglehold on power is slipping, and it is time for the West to help Tsvangirai and his allies nail Mugabe’s political coffin shut. With luck, Mugabe will soon join Slobodan Milosevic, Askar Akayev and Eduard Shevardnadze in the hall of disgraced authoritarian strongmen overthrown by their own people.

Perhaps he can find a more gainful second career like Akayev, who became a math professor at Moscow State University after resigning as the head of state of Kyrgyzstan.

On second thought, maybe not. If you like falsifying numbers to suit your needs, you shouldn’t be teaching math to anyone.

[Reach columnist Russ Wung at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.]