Will junta rid Africa of tyranny or resurge? by Nkwazi Mhango

I abhor undemocratic means of ascending to power. When Capt. Mousa Dadis Camara survived an attempt on his life by his aide Boubakar Diakite, many thought it was just an isolated incident  and a passing cloud. To the contrary, thinkers had a different take of this. Is this the beginning of a new era whereby marksmen are likely to usher democracy in? 

After Diakite shot Camara, his grip on power started to shrivel where it would have thrived. His sober deputy Sekouba Konate came into the big picture to arrest the impasse the country was in under Camara. Thanks to his efforts and bravery, Guinea may have a democratic elected government soon, shall what has been agreed upon be adhered to.

The recent development whereby the army in Niger staged a successful coup tells how the army that used to be regarded as the means to power, has made a U-turn that, if maintained- is likely to get Africa rid of tyrants and strongmen. Won’t it bring back military juntas? This is the big question many have to ponder on cautiously and carefully.

Mamadou Tandja a former army chief annoyed the world last year when he embarked on a controversial referendum that abolished the presidential term limit and gave himself more leeway to bulldoze Niger after his second-five-year term in office expired last December. His paid stooge maintained their bagatelle that Tandja had special work to complete as if the country was his private estate.

The turning of tables against Tandja must send signals to all African potentates clinging to power by depending on the armies. What transpired in Niger must open eyes for other dictators who think they are smart. Tampering with constitutions has become an in-thing for African tin-pot dictators. It has been done in Senegal, Uganda and Rwanda. This proved to be a hard nut for opposition and civil organizations to break, given that it was supported by armies. Now, the new breath is likely to come from the men and women in uniform. They are tired of being a tool in one’s hand.

Given that all tyrannical regimes in Africa depend on armies, this new move –shall it aim at restoring democracy- is likely to succeed and spread pronto. Nigeria is currently democratically stable thanks to the realization of the army that it can play a great role in restoring democracy. Though Madagascar is still frangible, the role the army played during  the power struggles between former president Marc Rovalomanana and current one, Andry Rajoelina, is commendable and apable. 

Though military juntas are coming to plunder just like those they depose, opposition needs to give them a heck so that their stint in power should restore democracy instead of transforming themselves into civilian aspirants for presidency as recently evidenced in a failed bid in Guinea. It is time for the opposition to agitate that Niger be steered back to true democracy. The good name the junta gave itself: Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (SCRD), must mean exactly that.

Africa was trying to soldier on without coups. But given that our democratically elected dictators don’t want to honor their promises and the constitutions of their countries, slowly we’re relegating back to dark days of tyranny and dictatorship. What even pains is the fact that our sitting duck-AU, has always been backing dictators. That’s why when the army pulled Tandja down, it quickly suspended Niger. The irony though is when Tandja tampered with Niger’s constitution; it did not take such stern measures!

Nigeriens are upbeat though it is early to speculate. One of the junta leaders, Harouna Djibrilla Adamou, was quoted as thus: “We call on national and international opinions to support us in our patriotic action to save Niger and its population from poverty, deception and corruption.”  This shows how wary the junta is especially when it reckons with what transpired in Guinea last year so as to seriously injure the regime there.

“I hope the soldiers restore some order … clean up the political environment,” said taxi driver Moussa Issa. “We need to start from scratch, without being compromised by the current political class which has been discredited over the last 20 years.” Issa added.

Is the junta going to meet the expectations of the people? Time will tell.

If Niger’s opposition won’t take a bull by horns, the junta, just like others prior, is likely to embark on political abracadabra for the detriment of the people.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

“Guinea tyrant must face charges” ‏by Nkwazi N. Mhango

In its efforts to return the genie back into the bottle, EU decided to come forth and stand to be counted.

Recent heroic and encouraging remarks by EU’s development Chief, Karel de Gucht sound cool and cannot pass without being enlivened. He said that Guinea head of Military junta, Cpt. Moussa Dadis Camara, who took power on the wake of the death of Guinea’s dictator Lasane Konte, be arraigned in connection with crimes against humanity.

If anything, shall this be effectuated, it is but good and calculated move especially at the time after toothless and goofy AU has been dragging its feet since the brigands illegally came to power. The world, with fresh memories, still remembers horrendous killings of innocent 157 protestors in the streets of Conakry on September 28.

This should not be erroneously confused by interfering internal affairs or colonialism or tutoring Africa, as African potentates normally claim when either they are, or one of them is cornered.

Gucht did not languish in diplomatic jargon. He termed the bone-chilling killings as an act of brutality never seen before. He was quoted as thus: “This is a crime against humanity. It is a crime against the citizens of Guinea. In law and morality these killings were indeed a crime against humanity perpetrated by the man calling himself a leader of the people.”

Apart from being the very right thing to do, this overture is but litmus test on the seriousness of international community. By arraigning Camara, justice will be served and the clear signal will be dispatched for all winos dreaming about taking power to abuse. It will make more sense than ever. How can, for example, the same international community squeezes Kenyan authority to bring the perpetrators of post-poll killings to book and turn a blind eye to this barbarism?

For the stint Camara has just been in power, he goes down annals of history as one of the modern mad men of Africa . His erratic behaviour has chagrined very many… if not all. More often than not, Camara has proved to be a mad man and an accident in the office of the president.

By taking the bull by horn, EU has set a precedent that if upheld, may balk military regimes in Africa for once and for all. All those day dreaming to come in and plunder will have to rethink their take. When he took power, without being forced, Camara told the world that he’d pave the way to democracy. He said: “We are patriots, not hungry for power. We don’t intend to stay in power forever.”

But as days went by, Camara proved to be even more a chameleon and megalomaniac. Contrary to his cross-gained vows of returning Guinea to democratic path, he was quoted as saying: “I have nothing more to say, except that I might or might not stand. No-one can stop me.” When he said this and his true face revealed, people’s power tried to stop him. They did not want to let him continue with his megalomania. The results were surreal. Hundreds were butchered on the bloody daylight. After the massacre, once again Camara proved to be behind all machinations. He was quoted saying that if he is not allowed to stand for presidency another dam honcho will take over!  Gosh! All these are but a bit more of puerile lies and rubbishes. And mark my words once more, much is to come after the tyrant is squeezed even more.

To jump a smoking gun, Camara was quoted contradicting himself as saying that he was a prisoner of his own army especially those that ordered the shooting. But by all implications, Camara is the one that ordered the killings. He prior said that nobody would stop him from running for presidency. It is childish to say he was a prisoner. France knew his tricks. It was the first country to propose that the tyrant be arraigned. Now that EU has stepped in, surely the genie may be returned to the bottle. Nobody knows. How can the head of the junta become a prisoner of his own army!

And mark my words. This time, the lame duck AU won’t step in or bleep to back the tyrant. Its mess of supporting Sudanese butcher, Omar Hassan Bashir is enough.

Being rabid, if Camara like a serpent is not conked, he is likely to become suicidal so as to commit even graver crimes against humanity. All maniacs Africa has witnessed in Idi Amin, Mobutu Sese Seko, Sani Abacha, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, Samuel Doe, Charles Taylor, Robert Mugabe, Yahya Jammeh, Fodday Saybana Sankor, Jonas Savimbi, and what not started this way.

Were he not a maniac, he had no reason to spoil his coup that was termed as bloodless. Now that his barbarism has turned his bloodless coup into a bloodbath sort of stuff! What else is he asking for?

The best gift-cum-aid the international community could offer Guinea is to pressurize this tyrant and his cabal of killers to step down, so that democratically elected government can come in. Why was it possible to disarm and thwart Charles Taylor, who was a bit smarter than this stinking yokel? Good news is that ICC has already zeroed in to see if charges be laid.

Though AU has its wing of Human Rights, the fact of the matter is: it is as useless as AU itself! Thus, Human Rights activists wherever they are must stand together and support this bold move by EU with regards to prosecuting Camara and his cabal of killers in uniform. Guinea tyrant must face charges resulting from committing crimes against humanity. And this must be done while the injuries are still fresh in the minds of the world.

Seriously, time for bringing Camara to book is now… just now.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.