Opinion / Columnist
Lessons learnt from the Kenyan electoral experience of 2017 visa vee Zimbabwe, Africa and the world
20 Sep 2017 at 20:07hrs | Views
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart (Proverbs 3:1 NIV)
Robert Gabriel Mugabe has no lesson he can pass, either to his generation or that below him, when he finally rests except the misfortune of a legacy of tyranny and dictatorship that incidentally has turned as a lesson, to many in the world, as the best way on how to never forget the reward on selfishness and greedy. One of the hard lessons to learn for Africa, from the 2017 reversed electoral polls of Kenya by the High court; is that elections should not be a way of endorsing oneself in to keeping and continuing in power by those who run government and often do it so poorly. It is obvious that any political party in Africa that dismembered colonial leadership from the control of authority on any aspiring independent nation, did so in order that they find a pretext to stay in power, and if need be, for ever. History would bear it that many nationalists took the western constitution not in good faith but as a means to be and stay in power.
Apart from the lessons that the bible gives on wisdom of succession, life has generally taught us that we wear out and finally look to posterity to take over and prolong the legendary story of our ancestry. When, therefore, men or women seek to stay on in power without caring to look for replacement it naturally addresses our sense of insecurity, and at worst the cause of insecurity, which often is the decay caused from an obsession of power love beyond and above the people we confess to protect and shield.
In the case of Africa, we need as Africans ask ourselves why the African Union does not encourage openness that supports media freedom as an institution including working against detention and the arrests of journalists and political opposition leaders. Studies will reveal that very few of opposition leaders in Africa are prosecutable because they have no criminal intent cases to answer except express opinions that work against dictatorship practised by those in government power control then. How can we buy freedom by establishing our headquarters in countries we condemn as imperialists? Is this hypocrisy or an outright fabrication on propaganda to brainwash the masses of Africa? Subsequently when these western countries stage anti-pan-African country campaigns they can control our freedom through donations they offer or threats against withdrawal of such donations which often, without admission, cripple initiatives of private citizens in many African countries to stand against oppression.
Governments of Africa, Mr. Robert Mugabe's included, invest colossal sums of money on media fights through the banning, the censorship and the building of huge human military and capital reserves without no war to fight at all. Often these decisions are done using hidden Executive prerogatives under the state secrets acts that do not allow debate or questioning matters of national import to which only the executive have authority over. The role of unlimited authority of the executive presidency in African is and has been a subject of constitutional study since the post-colonial era with little success. Significantly it is a break through news when the Kenyan Supreme Court rules against the flowed 2017 election. It has to be noted that if by the same measures of prudence reviews were done by the African Union commission approval many previous elections declared free and fair on Zimbabwe, will almost all be subject to reversal creating an unpreceded constitutional crisis for the country, in my opinion.
Evidence is available as to why African leadership prefer to retain power even if people no longer want them to rule. The most plausible argument for African leadership to stay in power for ever is that they work under pretext of being famous and favoured by majority of African peoples' vote to stay on, which is questionable. Every post-independence government in Africa under plays the role of political force employed by the newly emerging political leadership. Numerous cases prove the importance of the United Nation (UN) on supervision powers over a government committing arson and murder over its citizens. The case of the Bangladesh war, the Burma/Myanmar, the Angola political crisis, Rwanda genocide, to some extent the Idi Amin rampage (Uganda) and the Matebeleland massacre (Zimbabwe) all inevitably shade such as dark picture on humanity ability to intervene and control a mud government butchering citizens to preserve her in power.
The recent case of Kenyan Supreme Court ruling is inspirational because it comes at a time when dictatorial tendencies tent to be swept under the carpet under pretext of a systematic opposition political organization who seeks to urge instability by always crying foul of an election rigging after an election in developing country. Kenyans need applauding for working vehemently for social justice and cooperating to unravel dirty tricks in the election. Zimbabwe cannot expect success over constitutional reform implementations if they consider financial privileges over national interests. The major lesson on politics is on prudence, integrity and a biased pursuit on what is fair and just in the fact of law.
Finally, it ought to be born in mind that there cannot be lessons learnt from failure to be honest, sincere and uphold the loss of life preferring instead to prolong stay in power at any cost even the cost of innocent lives. Truth be told, Zimbabwe has exceeded this parameter except we seek political favours against the gain of seeking common good for all. The fact that Mr. Mugabe's government has sought to criminalize the right of citizens to express their opinions and criticize a sitting government does not show any teaching of good report that our children could be proud to display on good governance now or in the future. Change is strategic. Change is necessary. But change has its huge partner as honesty and integrity coupled with transparency. Mr. Mugabe's government fails on all of these tenets dismally. Some opposition political parties, even before accessing to the power, have failed these tenets dismally. Power management matrix requires humility and strong balancing of power to achieve a correct balance. Such correct balances are such as referred to in the bible, worthy passing to future generation.
Robert Gabriel Mugabe has no lesson he can pass, either to his generation or that below him, when he finally rests except the misfortune of a legacy of tyranny and dictatorship that incidentally has turned as a lesson, to many in the world, as the best way on how to never forget the reward on selfishness and greedy. One of the hard lessons to learn for Africa, from the 2017 reversed electoral polls of Kenya by the High court; is that elections should not be a way of endorsing oneself in to keeping and continuing in power by those who run government and often do it so poorly. It is obvious that any political party in Africa that dismembered colonial leadership from the control of authority on any aspiring independent nation, did so in order that they find a pretext to stay in power, and if need be, for ever. History would bear it that many nationalists took the western constitution not in good faith but as a means to be and stay in power.
Apart from the lessons that the bible gives on wisdom of succession, life has generally taught us that we wear out and finally look to posterity to take over and prolong the legendary story of our ancestry. When, therefore, men or women seek to stay on in power without caring to look for replacement it naturally addresses our sense of insecurity, and at worst the cause of insecurity, which often is the decay caused from an obsession of power love beyond and above the people we confess to protect and shield.
In the case of Africa, we need as Africans ask ourselves why the African Union does not encourage openness that supports media freedom as an institution including working against detention and the arrests of journalists and political opposition leaders. Studies will reveal that very few of opposition leaders in Africa are prosecutable because they have no criminal intent cases to answer except express opinions that work against dictatorship practised by those in government power control then. How can we buy freedom by establishing our headquarters in countries we condemn as imperialists? Is this hypocrisy or an outright fabrication on propaganda to brainwash the masses of Africa? Subsequently when these western countries stage anti-pan-African country campaigns they can control our freedom through donations they offer or threats against withdrawal of such donations which often, without admission, cripple initiatives of private citizens in many African countries to stand against oppression.
Evidence is available as to why African leadership prefer to retain power even if people no longer want them to rule. The most plausible argument for African leadership to stay in power for ever is that they work under pretext of being famous and favoured by majority of African peoples' vote to stay on, which is questionable. Every post-independence government in Africa under plays the role of political force employed by the newly emerging political leadership. Numerous cases prove the importance of the United Nation (UN) on supervision powers over a government committing arson and murder over its citizens. The case of the Bangladesh war, the Burma/Myanmar, the Angola political crisis, Rwanda genocide, to some extent the Idi Amin rampage (Uganda) and the Matebeleland massacre (Zimbabwe) all inevitably shade such as dark picture on humanity ability to intervene and control a mud government butchering citizens to preserve her in power.
The recent case of Kenyan Supreme Court ruling is inspirational because it comes at a time when dictatorial tendencies tent to be swept under the carpet under pretext of a systematic opposition political organization who seeks to urge instability by always crying foul of an election rigging after an election in developing country. Kenyans need applauding for working vehemently for social justice and cooperating to unravel dirty tricks in the election. Zimbabwe cannot expect success over constitutional reform implementations if they consider financial privileges over national interests. The major lesson on politics is on prudence, integrity and a biased pursuit on what is fair and just in the fact of law.
Finally, it ought to be born in mind that there cannot be lessons learnt from failure to be honest, sincere and uphold the loss of life preferring instead to prolong stay in power at any cost even the cost of innocent lives. Truth be told, Zimbabwe has exceeded this parameter except we seek political favours against the gain of seeking common good for all. The fact that Mr. Mugabe's government has sought to criminalize the right of citizens to express their opinions and criticize a sitting government does not show any teaching of good report that our children could be proud to display on good governance now or in the future. Change is strategic. Change is necessary. But change has its huge partner as honesty and integrity coupled with transparency. Mr. Mugabe's government fails on all of these tenets dismally. Some opposition political parties, even before accessing to the power, have failed these tenets dismally. Power management matrix requires humility and strong balancing of power to achieve a correct balance. Such correct balances are such as referred to in the bible, worthy passing to future generation.
Source - Andrew M Manyevere
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