Compromise Politics- A New Way Out For African Autocrats

By Neba-Fuh

Generally , Africans have a vexing tendency to always dwell on  the 'bad, worse and worst' comparison. They rarely dwell on positive comparison , that is,' the good , better and best' situations. When established dictators are under all kinds of pressure to relinquish power, fellow Africans come out with defensive negative comparisons insinuating  that, these autocrats are not worse than their contemporaries. It is like the student who took the last-but-one position in his end of year class exams, but was quick to point out that at least, he wasn't the last in the class!

When we  decry the dictatorial rule of the Biya regime, some analysts rush to point out that he is not  worse than his neighbours. When there is an opportunity to oust dictators like Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who has plunged his country into an economic quagmire coupled with extreme brutalization of his people because of their political opinions, fellow Africans come out with all kinds of negative comparisons and hypotheses. They hail him for pushing an African Economic Independence fight, while staging a '2,200,000% inflation' economy. They condemn legendary Mandela for leaving power only after five years as President of South Africa, and chastise him for not taking up the 'African Economic Independence fight' , just to defend Mugabe's sadistic regime . What a shame! This is not the progressive mentality Africans need , it is  a lose/lose option.

I strongly believe that any pressure to force a dictator to relinquish power, no matter  where it is coming from should not be compromised. Any African dictator who is forced out of power  brings a smile to at least one hopeless African. Africa's future rests not on this cream of dictators! They are of no use! They can't bring the momentum Africa needs to move from its present inertia to a more progressive track, comparable to the South East Asian boom. The talk about African unity remains a fictional gaffe, except these greedy autocrats quit. The Biyas, Obiang Nguemas, Bongo, Qhaddhaffis, Hosnis,Mugabes, El Bashirs, Kibakis etc can not execute any African vision.

Worst still, today a new precedence is being set for these African autocratic oligarchs to die in power- Compromise Politics-The tendency to use whatever means possible to  rig Presidential elections in order to claim victory, and later yield to pressure from other fellow African dictators to form a government of national unity by sharing power with your presidential  challenger.  This is the new trend African dictators are adopting to stay in power forever. It happened in Kenya a few months ago, it is happening in Zimbabwe now, and surely it will happen in other African nations. If this trend continues, Africa is doomed for everlasting stagnation, and any vision for Africa in a conceivable future is just an illusion.

Any government or executive leadership that cannot be changed by  generally accepted means designed by its people is not democratic. This is the bedrock of democracy, and all other things are secondary! Therefore, such a government or  executive leadership that resist change by a consensus process predetermined freely by the people themselves and done at an accepted time frame, is a dictatorship. It is as simple as that!
The agenda and motive of anybody who aspires for the post of President can only be judged by the people. If they vote him to power in a free and fair election, that is their business. The truth is that if the system is democratic then the people can still usher him out when his mandate expires. African politics has not moved from person-centred politics to system-centred politics. We still believe individual rulers solely hold the key to a nation's  destiny, just like a faithful dog looks up to his master daily to determine its fate. This is as a result of the ethnocentric tendency of African culture . The only way forward for any African leap  is to adopt a system-based leadership- where political and economic systems
are put in place to ensure basic continuity irrespective of who sits in the system-controlled executive seat.  In such a system, dictators cannot be glorified, Oligarchs who rule their country infinitely cannot be hailed. Incumbents  who rig elections with impunity will not be welcome in the African leadership family. This is the kind of Africa we wish for, where we dwell in  the realm of the  'good, better and best' situation.
God save Africa!

Comments

[Khasara]

Hi,

Quite some good work you are doing out there.

Cheers!