Something has got to give. The protests in Zimbabwe by ordinary citizens raising their voices to demand a better life tells us that President Robert Mugabe is running out of excuses. His grip on the lives of Zimbabweans - unshakable for more than three decades - is at last coming to an end.It is important to note that the latest civil unrest is not driven by any political party or labour union but by men and women whose accession to total freedom can no longer be postponed.Although Mugabe still commands great respect on the continent as a fearless leader who can tell the West to bugger off, his politics have failed to feed the nation.The trouble is that he is a leader who has overstayed his usefulness but the citizens are fearful of rising against their liberator.Zimbabwe is too important a nation to be left to drift into chaos just because of one man.The time has come for the region to whisper to the president that it's time to hand over power to the next generation.No one is questioning Mugabe's contribution to the liberation of his people, or the great strides he took to educate them, but all will be lost if he refuses to step down and is driven out of power by a popular revolt.Zimbabwe, just like any other country, has talented and capable individuals.The strife could have been avoided if Mugabe had allowed other leaders a voice.With all the education and talent he gave his people, today he is their greatest source of pain.Should the unrest continue, Mugabe and those who continue to prop up his regime will come to a painful end and leave behind them a bitter legacy.All will not be lost if Mugabe can find within himself a heart that feels the pain of his people.All they want is the freedom to determine their destiny and not be rigidly controlled and told what is good for them...