Sham elections in Africa

[warning: a little political rant]

I have been in Africa for a little over 2 years now and I am amazed at the so called democratic process that is going on here. I know that what we do in Europe is not always pretty, but at least people don't die for voting one way or another.

First there was a sham election in Kenya, where the result was nowhere near free nor fair, but rather than re-doing the election, (and/or sending someone to jail for it), they chose to have a government of 'national unity'. In other word, 'we don't care who you voted for, we will choose your leaders for you'.

Now the elections in Zimbabwe are also a sham, the whole world knows that it is a sham, yet African leaders at the AU summit in Egypt are still patting Robert Mugabe on the back and telling him well done and even applauding him for his abuses.

The South African president Thabo Mbeki would rather be seen dancing, (yes, dancing!), with the Zimbabwean dictator rather than actually doing what 90% of the people that voted him in office are telling him to do.
Because Mugabe was his buddy during the apartheid years he his more than happy to excuse the murder and beating of hundreds of Zimbabweans. He would rather excuse the blatant crimes of his friend rather than saving hundreds of lives and doing what is right, it makes you think, how little does life matter to African governments and African leaders?

Mbeki is happy to close his eyes to the very oppression he claimed he was against. It also makes you think really, what was the ANC really fighting for all this time? To defend the rights of the African people'? because if it is then they are failing the African people miserably over and over again, (how many people must die in Sudan before someone calls Omar Hassan al Bashir and politely asks him to stop doing what he is doing?).

And when the Zimbabwean dictatorship falls, (because all dictatorships eventually collapse), he will probably be welcomed with open arms by many African leaders.

As I said, European governments are not always much better, but at least we can vote them out of office fairly quickly and we have no one to blame than ourselves.

10:14 AM - 7/1/2008 - post comment

Sham Elections.

I beg to differ with your view as pertains elections in Africa. Just because you have lived in Africa for two years, does not necessarily mean that you have a grasp of what actually is. Just because most African leaders have not commented on the Zim situation, does not necessarily mean that they condone it. Why did you not give a mention of Kenya's PM, Raila Odinga who has been quite critical ot the Mugabe regime?
Am a Kenyan by birth and have been residing here for the past 29 years. Sure thing, our elections were flawed, but then again which country can claim to hold free and fair elections?
Just because there were some election irregularities, does not necessarily mean the elections were a sham. Just so you know, the Kenyan leaders were not imposed on any one. The situation arose out of neccessity i.e. saving the country fom a full fledged civil war. Get your facts right before issuing blanket condemnations!

njohroh - 12:18 PM - 7/1/2008

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Re : Sham Elections

First of all you don't know why I am in Africa, so don't assume that I don't know what I am talking about.
Secondly, do you really think that Zimbabwe and Kenya only had 'some election irregularities'?
Do you really believe that Mugabe would be president, (for a 6th term), if it was not for those 'irregularities'? Would Kibaki be in power if it wasn't for those 'irregularities'?

JournalHome - 12:44 PM - 7/1/2008

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RE: ES

Touchy, touchy, touchy! You are totally right, I have no idea as to why you are in Africa. About you knowing what you talking about, did I assume? Really?
There is a wise saying that says only the shoe wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
Comparing the Zim situation to Kenya´s, is in my view, an extremely erroneous observation. Mugabe, is nothing short of a nutcase!
As for President Kibaki being in power as a result of election 'irregularities', that is debatable.

njohroh - 12:35 PM - 7/2/2008

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hey?

You are mistaken, I am not touchy at all. I only assumed you assumed based on your comment.

I agree that Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Sudan and others cannot be compared on their elections alone.
But there are some similarities in the ways politics are run and, more importantly, the way the rest of Africa deal with those 'elections'.

The more general point I was making is that democracy always seems to take a back seat and the rest of Africa, (AU and SADC at least), are worryingly too happy to endorse the elections no matter how corrupt and unfair they were.
The leaders will bend over backward to help each others at the expense of their own countries.

Thabo Mbeki would rather endorse Mugabe rather than doing what a lot, (most?), South Africans are asking him to do.
He would rather have +3 million Zimbabweans fleeing into South Africa, (and the probable xenophobia that followed), rather than taking a stand against one man.

JournalHome - 1:12 PM - 7/2/2008

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