Politics

What is it with African leaders and clinging to power and health? The moment one is sworn in as the president they assume special powers and transform from being human beings to immortals.Think of Mobutu Sese seko of Congo. Upon assuming power he changed his name to Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ,which according to most translations means "the rooster (man) that watches over all hens (women)" and according to alternative translation it means "the all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and the will to win ,will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake"..say more of a superhero in his time. He even changed his country's name to Zaire. Bet you didn't know he was actually chased from power after months rebellion led by Kabira and later died in exile in Morocco.

In a part of the world where leaders rule forever its perfectly rational that they cannot be thought of being ill and so they go to the extreme means to feign health.In Ghana for instance,in June rumours began  to swirl around that President John Atta Mills was ill , maybe to the extent of not seeking re-election and that he was going abroad  to seek medical treatment and even some media sections had prematurely reported his death.
Upon his return  Atta jogged with vigour in display of his good health at the airport which many thought was a way of silencing his political opponents.Well, politically speaking that was some killer move but what...the following month Atta Mills died at the age of 68...Reason? Illness. His brother Dr. Cadman Mills during burial service disclosed that he had died from a massive stroke.
What bothers me though is  why,in a country like Ghana with a mature democracy, would those close to Atta Mills try to protect his image of strength untill the very end.I mean he was no god and eventually was to face his fate wether it put them in some unsure political path or not.

Think of the Nigerians late president Umaru Yardua  who grew so weak in office and he once had to be carried off a runaway by his bodyguard during a state visit to Togo.The bodyguard apparently draped traditional robes over his arm to conceal what was happening.State press was told to film only one side of his face as the other side of the face was swollen.Later then vice president was empowered by the parliament to assume the acting-president role.

A week before the late Guinean president Lasan Conte died, the editor of a local newspaper was arrested for publishing a picture of an ill Conte struggling to stand up.The news paper was ordered to publish a picture of Conte showing him in good health and lively.And ofcourse the state provided the picture.

In Zimbabwe the comrade,Robert Mugabe says he is fit as a fiddle despite rumours that he is battling prostate cancer.Guess Morgan might have to wait longer to lead the country.

Back in Kenya it's not a different story though. Think of Charles Njonjo when he said, "Talking of Kenyatta's death,let alone contemplating it, is tantamount to treason." This was after he learnt that a clique,the Kiambu Mafia, around Mzee were laying plans in preparation for a possible demise of Kenyatta in 1975.This led Njonjo to engineering one of the most infamous constitution amendments banning people from entertaining the thought that the president may one day die. The clause stated:"It is a criminal offence for any person to imagine,encompass ,devise or intend the death or deposition of the president,furthermore, it is an offence to express ,utter or declare such imaginations or intentions by publishing them in print or writing.The mandatory sentence for any such offence by citizen is death,".....Eish! !Too bad an immortal president would die later in after just 3 years.

But all is not lost for Africa.Our beloved land.I mean don't we have Mandela Nelson who is celebrated world over for his charisma? He has no claim to immortality but he has already lived past 90! If at all Mandiba wanted to cling in power i think he would have gone well over 40 years without a possible replacement by some better president but  after serving for just one term he quit politics.That doesn't happen in our continent people.But I think what intrigues me most is his resolve even at his hardest moments,be it at apartheid protests and run ins with the ''mzungu'' administration or in jail..or at this moment in hospital. He says "bring it on."  He has never been afraid of death like our leaders.

Tomorrow is Mandela's Day. My message to you is, "Be the Mandiba of our generation in your area of work for this is the only way we are going to make Africa a better continent not through Chinanising it."

What is it with African leaders and clinging to power and health? The moment one is sworn in as the president they assume special powers and transform from being human beings to immortals.Think of Mobutu Sese seko of Congo. Upon assuming power he changed his name to Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ,which according to most translations means "the rooster (man) that watches over all hens (women)" and according to alternative translation it means "the all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and the will to win ,will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake"..say more of a superhero in his time. He even changed his country's name to Zaire. Bet you didn't know he was actually chased from power after months rebellion led by Kabira and later died in exile in Morocco.

In a part of the world where leaders rule forever its perfectly rational that they cannot be thought of being ill and so they go to the extreme means to feign health.In Ghana for instance,in June rumours began  to swirl around that President John Atta Mills was ill , maybe to the extent of not seeking re-election and that he was going abroad  to seek medical treatment and even some media sections had prematurely reported his death.
Upon his return  Atta jogged with vigour in display of his good health at the airport which many thought was a way of silencing his political opponents.Well, politically speaking that was some killer move but what...the following month Atta Mills died at the age of 68...Reason? Illness. His brother Dr. Cadman Mills during burial service disclosed that he had died from a massive stroke.
What bothers me though is  why,in a country like Ghana with a mature democracy, would those close to Atta Mills try to protect his image of strength untill the very end.I mean he was no god and eventually was to face his fate wether it put them in some unsure political path or not.

Think of the Nigerians late president Umaru Yardua  who grew so weak in office and he once had to be carried off a runaway by his bodyguard during a state visit to Togo.The bodyguard apparently draped traditional robes over his arm to conceal what was happening.State press was told to film only one side of his face as the other side of the face was swollen.Later then vice president was empowered by the parliament to assume the acting-president role.

A week before the late Guinean president Lasan Conte died, the editor of a local newspaper was arrested for publishing a picture of an ill Conte struggling to stand up.The news paper was ordered to publish a picture of Conte showing him in good health and lively.And ofcourse the state provided the picture.

In Zimbabwe the comrade,Robert Mugabe says he is fit as a fiddle despite rumours that he is battling prostate cancer.Guess Morgan might have to wait longer to lead the country.

Back in Kenya it's not a different story though. Think of Charles Njonjo when he said, "Talking of Kenyatta's death,let alone contemplating it, is tantamount to treason." This was after he learnt that a clique,the Kiambu Mafia, around Mzee were laying plans in preparation for a possible demise of Kenyatta in 1975.This led Njonjo to engineering one of the most infamous constitution amendments banning people from entertaining the thought that the president may one day die. The clause stated:"It is a criminal offence for any person to imagine,encompass ,devise or intend the death or deposition of the president,furthermore, it is an offence to express ,utter or declare such imaginations or intentions by publishing them in print or writing.The mandatory sentence for any such offence by citizen is death,".....Eish! !Too bad an immortal president would die later in after just 3 years.

But all is not lost for Africa.Our beloved land.I mean don't we have Mandela Nelson who is celebrated world over for his charisma? He has no claim to immortality but he has already lived past 90! If at all Mandiba wanted to cling in power i think he would have gone well over 40 years without a possible replacement by some better president but  after serving for just one term he quit politics.That doesn't happen in our continent people.But I think what intrigues me most is his resolve even at his hardest moments,be it at apartheid protests and run ins with the ''mzungu'' administration or in jail..or at this moment in hospital. He says "bring it on."  He has never been afraid of death like our leaders.

Tomorrow is Mandela's Day. My message to you is, "Be the Mandiba of our generation in your area of work for this is the only way we are going to make Africa a better continent not through Chinanising it."