I think it is safe to say that anyone who has had exposure to the media in the last fortnight or so has had about Nelson Mandela and his continuously frail health. Growing up, my father used to tell me of this great leader who came from prison and was elected president. I did not know much by then about politics but the way my father would talk about Mandela with such passion, it became hard to forget his name. I, like many people across the world who have heard his story or experienced his accomplishments first hand usually feel like we owe him something. We usually feel a kind of emotional attachment to him, and that’s probably why every international media organisation has a correspondent in South Africa right now specifically to monitor his situation. In his words, he said that no one should see him as a saint but as a sinner who keeps trying. The bitter truth is that we shall one day lose Mandela, but the greatest loss will be if we fail to learn from this great leader.
Almost, every leader
and president across the entire world since the late 90’s, be it Africa, Europe
or the Americas has been heaping praise on Mandela. But to what extent does
this reflect in their policies and decisions as leaders? Mandela stood for
principles like rule of law, equality in all spheres and democracy. What we see
in Africa and other parts of the world today is inequality orchestrated by
governments and regimes, judiciaries that are not independent but are
influenced to give unfair judgements and police nations. Closer home, media
houses get closed for almost a fortnight to whip them into line after running
stories that are not appealing to the powers that be. Public funds taxed
from citizens struggling to make a living are being plundered everyday by
selfish thieves in public offices, totally devoid of any morals and unaware of
the plight of ordinary Ugandans. Sixteen mothers die every day in child birth
in Uganda because the money meant to provide pregnancy kits and pay midwives
continues to be stolen from government coffers and stashed away in sacks under the
beds of government officials. Opposition leaders are being harassed and denied
the chance to enjoy their constitutional rights in what seems like government’s new commitment
to suppress any kind of dissent. Uganda has become a country ruled by tear gas
and rubber bullets and some leaders now brag about how tear gas has silenced the opposition.
For how long shall we
allow this to go on? What does equality and rule of law that are emphasized in
our constitution, mean for this government? Does it mean cutting the budget for
accountability and keeping health centres deficient of medicine to relocate the
money to buying tear gas and anti-riot gear for quelling protesters akin to
what is being done in Uganda?
In Mandela’s first year
as president, he launched the Reconstruction and Development Plan aimed at
creation of jobs, housing and health care. In 1996, he signed a Constitution
that centred on protecting minority rights, freedom of expression and promoting
democracy; three key issues that many governments in Africa have largely left
to civil society.
A recent survey by
Foreign Policy magazine using the Failed states Index places Uganda at number
22 with Somalia leading the group, Kenya at number 17 and Zimbabwe at number
10. According to the results of this survey, out of 178 countries sampled,
Africa has 10 among the top fifteen failed states and poverty rates are higher
in sub-Saharan Africa compared to anywhere else in the world. The study points
out political instability, economic inequality and corruption as some of the
top causes of failure in these states. Why have many African leaders failed to
recognize and implement transformation policies like their “role model” Nelson
Mandela?
The idea of “Africa
Rising” may be true but it is still a myth to the larger percentage of Africans.
The Impressive GDP figures, growth of economies and technology may be appealing
to the middle class but a lot still needs to be done about governance in Africa.
Unfortunately, the
Nobel Laureate’s health is giving way. I hope that as we pray for Mandela’s
peaceful rest and transition to another life, we do not just remember him as an
idol but also embrace his principles of governance based on rule of law,
equality and democracy for the good of our nation and the continent at large.
The
writer is a social and political commentator, blogger and democracy enthusiast
Bsc. Quantity Surveying
Twitter: PathyKlinn
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