Thursday, May 8, 2008

Zimbabwe's Politics



African despots have never ceased to amuse global audiences with their absurd political theatrics.
However, leaders bent on manipulating electoral processes to remain in power have increasingly threatened democratic developments in the continent. Current events in Zimbabwe are a grotesque case of absolute power gone awry. The country faces a precarious political crisis. Incumbent Robert Mugabe’s government has refused to announce results of a presidential election concluded long ago.
The case in Zimbabwe comes just months after Kenya was paralyzed by tribal warfare fueled by a disputed presidential election.
Democracy in Africa is under siege. The word has no meaning if the process can be subverted by the whim of politicians.
In both Kenya and Zimbabwe, election results were delayed when it appeared the incumbent was on the brink of losing. In both countries, ruling parties lost a parliamentary majority. And in both cases, tribal militias were engaged to unleash violence on the opposition sympathizers.
Due to the timely intervention of the global community, Kenya was able to survive and create a unity government. However, the country’s legislators need to rebuild and encapsulate democratic and governance institutions in the constitution and protect them from a president’s manipulation.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has remained an eyesore on the face of Africa's modern civilization(African Renaissance) through disrespect to the people’s democratic freedoms leaving Zimbabwe both an obstacle and an embarrassment to Africa at large.
Leaving Mugabe to get away with the various crimes he has committed against humanity for close to 30 years will encourage more dictators to employ similar tactics to prolong their stay in power.
On that account,the Kenyan fiasco must have contributed negatively and positively to the outcome of the Zimbabwe's side.Positively in a manner that the loss of lives and property in Kenya must have made the peaceful people of Zimbabwe not to resort into violence.Negatively in a way that by Mr.Kibaki reaffirming his presidency must have been a contributory factor that encouraged Mr.Mugabe and his supporters.
The international community,United Nation,European Union etc must follow with strong steps to protect democracy in Africa.But African problem will be better sorted out by the African themselves,Is the African Union listening?

Monday, January 14, 2008

Kenya's politics

Its total foul of what has been unfolding in Kenya since the start of the year.We have been learning lessons since independence but have we invoked them?One gets the feeling that the mzungu would have stayed much longer.Then maybe we would have matured to self rule ourselves.But then as fate had it,we got it at that time.One fails to guess what if the British had stayed longer enough would we had been like our brothers in South Africa.Well the answer to this remains to the fortune tellers.
Politics has played a spoil for the Kenya's common man.The common man has over the years looked upon the politicians to change their lives but what has been happening is a total reverse pitting quid pro quo to the trash bin.One gets the feeling that a new beginin is to come by in the sound of the elections but anxiety,tension and depression is the package that the common man is left with.
What do the members of parliament do when they are in the House?Mr.Raila and Kibaki have been in the House for the whole of it since the multi-party came to being.One wonders as at whole that time Mr.Kibaki wa seen as to champion for good governance from the realms of the KANU era.So was Raila.It culminated in 2002 that all that had been fought for would be achieved by the champions being in the driver's seat.Sooner than later that started to crumble because of the selfish desires of our leaders starting with the breach of MoU.Then came the scandals.And Raila came out as the one to save the nation come 2007 only to be denied that chance through rigging.Why does he not take the issue to the court instead of calling mass protest after witnessing bloodshed?It show how the judiciary is mistrusted.
The whole system is rotten.From above to the bottom.What would a common man say when even the ones whom he thinks that they are connected and influence do not want to seek redress from the courts.And then the government was the one to conduct judicial surgery for the good of justice.Which justice when their men are the ones dictating to their whims?Meaning that there are those who are supposed to be given petitions to decree on but are denied just because they are mistrusted nonetheless at the end of the month get their fat salary and allowances while the Kibera man who works at Industrial Area due to insecurity would not make it to his jib risking losing it and defiantely going without hid meagre wage that would have feed,clothed and sheltered him.
Kenyans deserve better than this.The Saba-Saba era should be over.We should be fighting at this time for democracy.We should be having democracy as part and parcel of our citizenship and now we should be fighting the economical embargo that has been in the country since its inception.
We do not want to mourn of our loved country going to ashes.We need a change.Who has it?