Africa Can Avoid the West’s Interference
- Category: Articles
- Date 01-09-2011
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PROF Mahmood Mamdani, in his article titled: “What Gaddafi’s fall means for Africa’ in The New Vision, September 01, noted that “conditions making external intervention in Africa are growing, attributing this to the “contention between dominant global powers and new challengers”.
This is partly true. But one way to avoid the Gaddafi scenario is to stop the rampant personalisation of national affairs in Africa.
Western countries tend to have national interests that are shared by all citizens.
They know that a head of state and other representatives ascended office through fairly genuine democratic processes, will serve for a specific period, operate within institutional frameworks, and do not use their positions to favour their family, ethnic, religious or such other affiliations.
On the contrary, African strongmen regard expression of dissenting views as a form of rebellion that must be cruelly routed to prevent further opposition. Africa has the majority of leaders who are hugely deluded that their countries’ survival depends on their continued hold on power. They aggravate the situation by turning state bureaus into nepotistic outfits for family and ethnic links.
Little wonder that Gaddafi’s last combative supporters have been his tribesmen in his small home town - Sirte. In the dying days of his reign, Gaddafi and his sons remained the only resilient spokesmen of his regime.
Gaddafi is personally responsible for the manner in which he has been ousted and the time at which his downfall has come. He has been in power since September 1, 1969, and was grooming his son as his successor.
To earn respect from the world, African leaders must learn and start to respect their own countrymen and women. This involves building state institutions, allowing talent and fair political competition, managing national resources transparently, accountability, and justice and equality for all citizens.
At a joint press conference in South Africa during the British Prime Minister, David Cameron’s visit in July 2011, President Jacob Zuma clearly discounted the West’s actions in Libya. Zuma gained the moral high ground from being a leader of a democratic nation other than from his likeness to Gaddafi, the man he apparently spoke in favour of.
The writer is a concerned citizen
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: New Vision