Zimbabwe's embattled President Robert Mugabe during his address to the nation on Sunday. He failed to resign against many people's expectations. [Photo: bbc.com]He surprised the whole world on Sunday evening when he failed to announce his resignation after leading Zimbabwe for the last 37 years.To many social media users Robert Mugabe whom the West describes as a despot and who has overseen more suffering of his people than development had just pulled a prank on all of us.Locally where many like to call him Uncle Bob, Mugabe is an African hero. And so he is. To describe him better, let us draw parallels between him and 'the enigma' of Kenyan politics Raila Odinga.Both of them are liberators. While Mugabe led the Zimbabwean bush war that led to the country's independence in 1980, Raila was among Kenyans that led Kenya's second liberation war that brought the multiparty democracy in the country. He is about to 'deliver' the third liberation that will end the era of the 'corrupt and murderous' Jubilee regime through his so-called NRM.Power hungry. Mugabe a nonagenarian, proved on Sunday that he is willing to cling to power till death despite calls by all to resign. In Kenya, many Raila critics see him as a politician with a gargantuan appetite for power and who is ready to seek power by all means including 'shedding blood'.Command massive following. Though Mugabe's following has waded and seems to be all alone, a few years ago, he was the Zimbabweans favourite. Raila still commands massive following perhaps because many of his supporters see him as the man to deliver them to Canaan.Both have endured persistent calls to retire from politics due to their advanced age. While Mugabe is just too old for his job at 93, Raila at 72 is also perceived locally as too old for the presidency. President Uhuru Kenyatta just hit 57 last month. They say Raila is so analogue in this digital age, an accusation he has severally dismissed by reminding them that 'Raila ni kijana'.

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