Africa and Impaled Democracies
Rizwan Ghani
February 16, 2008
Analysts are of the view that Bush´s Africa trip avoids controversial countries. This Bush´s second visit to Africa and during and he will be visiting five countries, including Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia.
Reportedly, Robert Rotberg, Adjunct Professor of Public Policy and director of the program on intra-state conflict at Harvard University´s John F. Kennedy School of Government told VOA that President Bush´s trip to Africa is an easy one and somewhat disappointing because the president is going to less controversial countries. "He picked some countries where there is no controversy and where he avoids all the critical issues of Africa. The countries that he needs to talk about are not the ones he´s visiting. He needs to talk about Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and Congo, but he´s not visiting any of those countries. He can even talk about Nigeria. But he´s going to Benin possibly because it would provide him an opportunity to talk about some of the democratic progress that Benin has made," he said.
Rotberg said although Tanzania chairs the African Union, President Bush should have gone to troubled neighboring Kenya. "That´s right which is a good reason to go to Tanzania. But its neighbor is the one in big trouble. And President Bush needs to find some way to help Kofi Annan mediate that conflict," Professor said.
In terms of supporting mediation in Kenya the international analysts and observers- otherwise very quick to dissect political and diplomatic undercurrents- are deliberately or otherwise getting things mixed up over Kenya. Kenya needs upholding of country´s electoral and constitutional laws not arbitration or independent panels to review Dec. 27 election results because Kenyan Electoral Authorities, the Pan-African Union Observer and independent observers have accepted that Kenyan elections have been rigged.
It is therefore mandatory for the international community to stand with people of Kenya and send a clear message to Kibaki to respect nation´s laws, step down and transfer power to Odinga who is the legitimate winner of Kenya´s presidential election. Odinga as winner of six out of eight provinces in presidential elections is by law to form the government because with 90 seats in 210 Kenyan Parliament his ODP is the majority party.
Reportedly, Sec. Rice is due to visit Kenya (on Monday) to assist ongoing mediation efforts in Kenya brokered by Kofi Annan which to me is equivalent of impaling democracy bit by bit in the name of dialogue and in the process Kenyans are being robbed of from their electoral rights, democratic aspirations and enslave country´s judiciary. In exchange they will be left with corruption, riots and poor governance. In all probability a political model will be replicated in Kenya in the name of national government that is already working in most countries that are on board with Bush´s war against terrorism. In such countries pseudo constitutions are functioning, basic freedoms have been put on indefinite hold, media is gagged, journalists are being murdered, judges are jailed, citizens are disappearing and ´so called thriving economies are spreading poverty.
In case a national government is put in place in Kenya instead of allowing the winners of general and presidential election to take over next president and form new government it will be a disaster for Kenya and its people. In all probability the world will lose a Kenya that was heading for stability and prosperity.
In all fairness the visit should have undertaken to help law take its natural course, support right against wrong and help Kenya take a giant leap towards true democracy. It could have helped the country leave the history and enter a new era of stability and prosperity. In all probability, diplomacy and mediation have more to do with undermining democracy than promoting it.
The efforts to get a new constitution in under than a year, the calls of rising above individual interests and denying Kenya´s opposition their lawful right to form the government are equivalent to broad daylight robbery. Kenya is an independent state not a colony whose fate will be decided by the outsiders instead of law of the land. Will any EU member state or for that matter Washington allow the same to happen in their own countries. It is unlawful, illegal and unfair to deprive Odinga to be the country´s president. It is equivalent to undermining innocent deaths following post-elections riots and displacement of some 600,000 Kenyans. The world shouldt morally and diplomatically help Kenya exercise its democratic rights in the name of democracy. Bush, US Senate and Congress should also stand with the international community in their support for restoration of democracy in Kenya.
In terms of troop support for resolving conflicts in Africa United States has been pushing for more countries to commit peacekeeping troops to Sudan´s Darfur region. Rotberg said while this issue might come up during President Bush´s meeting with Tanzanian President Kikwete, Mr. Bush would have served the cause better if he visited some of the countries with more clout when it comes to troop contribution. For that he needs to visit South Africa and Nigeria, not to visit Tanzania which doesn´t have any troops to commit. So if he really wanted to bolster the African force he would need to go to some of the tougher countries who have troops like Uganda and South Africa, he said.
Africa is infested with health crises, poverty and war but what is eating away the continent is poor governance, corruption and lack of accountability. It needs to be changed. Professor Rotberg opined that when President Bush first took office many Africans and Africanists had subdued expectations about what he could do for Africa. Now some say the President has improved U.S. relations with Africa, especially through his Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). But like the slow and low spending under Millennium Challenge Corporation, little PEPFAR funding has actually reached the people of Africa. The signature elements of Bush´s plan for Africa hadn´t been delivered to any extent, remarked the professor.
In my opinion the endemic levels of corruption, disregard for democratic practices and blatant violations of constitutional rights, liberties and international conventions will further deepen due to renewed geo-strategic, economic and energy interest of Asia, European and America in African states. The case in point is criticism over Bush´s failure to raise the issue of botched distribution of AIDS funds amidst reports of corruption and failure of aid to reach majority of the affected AIDS victims.
Following Asian giants "no questioned asked economic incentives" to corrupt African leaders, Bush has ignored human sufferings at the hands of callous African leaders and is peddling Africa Military Command. Reportedly, Bush is expected to discuss the U.S. plan to have an Africa Military Command (AFRICOM), during his meeting with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who, despite public rebuke of the program by some African leaders, has offered her country as host of AFRICOM. Professor Rotberg has termed the move as unwise because Africans say they do not want it.
"I think it´s really foolish to pursue the AFRICOM location in Africa when most Africans don´t want it. But he´s going to Liberia because Liberians say they would be happy to have AFRICOM based there. And he may announce something about locating it there. But since most of the rest of Africa doesn´t want it in Africa, there´s no point putting it there," Rotberg said.
Finally, global community, world leaders and international platforms and human rights watch groups should play their role in alleviating social, political and economic hardships of average Africans who are struggling to restore impaled democracies, oppression, corruption, sickness, poverty and poor governance. Kenya is a political test case for the global community. Lest developing world loses hope in those standing for respect of law, humanity and democracy. Lastly, Africa needs peace and stability not military corps.
Reportedly, Robert Rotberg, Adjunct Professor of Public Policy and director of the program on intra-state conflict at Harvard University´s John F. Kennedy School of Government told VOA that President Bush´s trip to Africa is an easy one and somewhat disappointing because the president is going to less controversial countries. "He picked some countries where there is no controversy and where he avoids all the critical issues of Africa. The countries that he needs to talk about are not the ones he´s visiting. He needs to talk about Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and Congo, but he´s not visiting any of those countries. He can even talk about Nigeria. But he´s going to Benin possibly because it would provide him an opportunity to talk about some of the democratic progress that Benin has made," he said.
Rotberg said although Tanzania chairs the African Union, President Bush should have gone to troubled neighboring Kenya. "That´s right which is a good reason to go to Tanzania. But its neighbor is the one in big trouble. And President Bush needs to find some way to help Kofi Annan mediate that conflict," Professor said.
In terms of supporting mediation in Kenya the international analysts and observers- otherwise very quick to dissect political and diplomatic undercurrents- are deliberately or otherwise getting things mixed up over Kenya. Kenya needs upholding of country´s electoral and constitutional laws not arbitration or independent panels to review Dec. 27 election results because Kenyan Electoral Authorities, the Pan-African Union Observer and independent observers have accepted that Kenyan elections have been rigged.
It is therefore mandatory for the international community to stand with people of Kenya and send a clear message to Kibaki to respect nation´s laws, step down and transfer power to Odinga who is the legitimate winner of Kenya´s presidential election. Odinga as winner of six out of eight provinces in presidential elections is by law to form the government because with 90 seats in 210 Kenyan Parliament his ODP is the majority party.
Reportedly, Sec. Rice is due to visit Kenya (on Monday) to assist ongoing mediation efforts in Kenya brokered by Kofi Annan which to me is equivalent of impaling democracy bit by bit in the name of dialogue and in the process Kenyans are being robbed of from their electoral rights, democratic aspirations and enslave country´s judiciary. In exchange they will be left with corruption, riots and poor governance. In all probability a political model will be replicated in Kenya in the name of national government that is already working in most countries that are on board with Bush´s war against terrorism. In such countries pseudo constitutions are functioning, basic freedoms have been put on indefinite hold, media is gagged, journalists are being murdered, judges are jailed, citizens are disappearing and ´so called thriving economies are spreading poverty.
In case a national government is put in place in Kenya instead of allowing the winners of general and presidential election to take over next president and form new government it will be a disaster for Kenya and its people. In all probability the world will lose a Kenya that was heading for stability and prosperity.
In all fairness the visit should have undertaken to help law take its natural course, support right against wrong and help Kenya take a giant leap towards true democracy. It could have helped the country leave the history and enter a new era of stability and prosperity. In all probability, diplomacy and mediation have more to do with undermining democracy than promoting it.
The efforts to get a new constitution in under than a year, the calls of rising above individual interests and denying Kenya´s opposition their lawful right to form the government are equivalent to broad daylight robbery. Kenya is an independent state not a colony whose fate will be decided by the outsiders instead of law of the land. Will any EU member state or for that matter Washington allow the same to happen in their own countries. It is unlawful, illegal and unfair to deprive Odinga to be the country´s president. It is equivalent to undermining innocent deaths following post-elections riots and displacement of some 600,000 Kenyans. The world shouldt morally and diplomatically help Kenya exercise its democratic rights in the name of democracy. Bush, US Senate and Congress should also stand with the international community in their support for restoration of democracy in Kenya.
In terms of troop support for resolving conflicts in Africa United States has been pushing for more countries to commit peacekeeping troops to Sudan´s Darfur region. Rotberg said while this issue might come up during President Bush´s meeting with Tanzanian President Kikwete, Mr. Bush would have served the cause better if he visited some of the countries with more clout when it comes to troop contribution. For that he needs to visit South Africa and Nigeria, not to visit Tanzania which doesn´t have any troops to commit. So if he really wanted to bolster the African force he would need to go to some of the tougher countries who have troops like Uganda and South Africa, he said.
Africa is infested with health crises, poverty and war but what is eating away the continent is poor governance, corruption and lack of accountability. It needs to be changed. Professor Rotberg opined that when President Bush first took office many Africans and Africanists had subdued expectations about what he could do for Africa. Now some say the President has improved U.S. relations with Africa, especially through his Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). But like the slow and low spending under Millennium Challenge Corporation, little PEPFAR funding has actually reached the people of Africa. The signature elements of Bush´s plan for Africa hadn´t been delivered to any extent, remarked the professor.
In my opinion the endemic levels of corruption, disregard for democratic practices and blatant violations of constitutional rights, liberties and international conventions will further deepen due to renewed geo-strategic, economic and energy interest of Asia, European and America in African states. The case in point is criticism over Bush´s failure to raise the issue of botched distribution of AIDS funds amidst reports of corruption and failure of aid to reach majority of the affected AIDS victims.
Following Asian giants "no questioned asked economic incentives" to corrupt African leaders, Bush has ignored human sufferings at the hands of callous African leaders and is peddling Africa Military Command. Reportedly, Bush is expected to discuss the U.S. plan to have an Africa Military Command (AFRICOM), during his meeting with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who, despite public rebuke of the program by some African leaders, has offered her country as host of AFRICOM. Professor Rotberg has termed the move as unwise because Africans say they do not want it.
"I think it´s really foolish to pursue the AFRICOM location in Africa when most Africans don´t want it. But he´s going to Liberia because Liberians say they would be happy to have AFRICOM based there. And he may announce something about locating it there. But since most of the rest of Africa doesn´t want it in Africa, there´s no point putting it there," Rotberg said.
Finally, global community, world leaders and international platforms and human rights watch groups should play their role in alleviating social, political and economic hardships of average Africans who are struggling to restore impaled democracies, oppression, corruption, sickness, poverty and poor governance. Kenya is a political test case for the global community. Lest developing world loses hope in those standing for respect of law, humanity and democracy. Lastly, Africa needs peace and stability not military corps.