Madiba magic

Celebrating Mandela. Photo by Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach

Earlier today, over 90 world leaders, including millions around the world joined South Africa and South Africans to mourn the loss, and  celebrate the life of a lion of our time.

Since Nelson Mandela's passage into history on the 5th of December 2013, we the peoples of the world have vacillated between grief and eulogy as we attempt to grapple with the extent to which we are bereft of the wisdom, foresight and steadfastness of the man.

As he readily attested to whilst in life, he was not a saint, and certainly wasn't always perfectly sensible in all his decision making.

It is however clear that over time- much of which was spent in incarceration- Madiba grew into his calling, and utilised the opportunity bestowed on him by destiny, to engineer a striving for peaceful co-existence amongst South Africans. This has also served as a beacon for the rest of the world, laying the foundations for meaningful dialogue whilst shunning destructive conflicts.

The legacy of Madiba is not lost on the world, as the emotional out-pouring shows.

As aptly put by the Secretary- General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, even in death "Nelson Mandela connected people with each other and with the true meaning of peace".

Libya: history's take.

The kidnapping of Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zaidan on Thursday 11th October 2013, by a faction of the country's Militia, is put in perspective.

As the New York Times describes it, the unrivalled authority of Libya's militias has seen it literally hold the country hostage "... hampering production of oil, forcing power cuts, participating in gun running- all with impunity".

There is collective agreement that Libya's weak central government does not have the means to rein in the militias as well as deal decisively with its worst excesses.

It should become increasingly clear that in spite of knowledge that Colonel Qaddafi governed his country for 42 years without credible institutions including a police force, this fact was not taken into consideration when a section of  the international community backed an intervention that guaranteed his demise.

A much better scenario should perhaps have been to strengthen the opposition militarily, to the extent that Colonel Qaddafi would have no choice but negotiate or face significant erosion of his power.

Given the current circumstances, it is simplistic to merely suggest that getting rid of Colonel Qaddafi guaranteed safety for the citizens of Libya that opposed his rule.

History's take on Libya in the immediate aftermath of the country having been rid of its absolute ruler of 42 years, looks to be that a fundamental mistake was made in the manner of  resolution of its 'Arab spring'.

'The 19th day of the revolution'

Jubilation on Cairo's streets. Photo, Yusuf Sayman for the New York Times.

The aftermath of the intervention of the army, that has seen the removal of Mohammed Mursi as President of Egypt, is put in perspective.

The keen appetite for change seems not to have waned on the streets of Cairo, as millions of ordinary Egyptians have made their feelings known and their voices heard about wanting a change from Mursi, whom they have accused of  arrogance and  lack of a broadly inclusive government. It does not help that the economic lot of the average Egyptian has worsened under Mursi's albeit short spell as freely elected leader. The army has played its part in making the wish of a section of Egypt's populace come true, whilst insisting it has no desire for political power.

What does this mean for democracy and long term peace on Egypt's streets?... one might ask.

It is perhaps safe to say that Mohammed Mursi misjudged the mood on the streets as he sought to establish his presidency and entrench his mandate. Egypt's streets still thirsts for change to the extent that it is impatient, and what might well have worked would have been for Mursi to adopt a more nuanced approach that would have seen him be more open to negotiation, whilst continually reminding his people of the tough road ahead on the country's path to being a firmly established democracy that protects its citizens, guarantees their voice, and also creates opportunity for economic prosperity.

At this delicate moment in the history of modern Egypt however, the Egyptian people, including it's army must take steps to make sure this 'revolution' does not become open ended. The people have made their voices heard in a manner that would only have the long term effect of highlighting the immense power that lies in the hands of ordinary people to effect change,  if in the immediate to medium term, it appreciates the virtue of patience and the wisdom of peaceful coexistence.                

Libya, a fear realized

The escalating tension between protesters and powerful militia in the new Libya, which has seen violence that is "undermining the very foundations of the fledgling state", is put in perspective. The current situation represents a fear realized, and for the sake of the safety and well being of ordinary Libyans, calls for a focus that goes beyond merely seeing this as 'Libya's problem'. A situation of instability has been created, and its entrenchment neither bodes well for Libya nor the wider international community.

To each his own it does seem

In the wake of final rallies before the upcoming presidential election in Kenya, Michaela Wong's article To Each His Own is put in perspective. Her views reveal the nuance of Kenya's party politics that means that different tribes take cold, calculating and often brutal steps to protect their interests during elections. These steps clearly far removes from the notion that election violence in Kenya is "spontaneous". So what lesson may be learnt from this? A government such as Kenya's only serves to make things worse so long as it champions cronyism more, and invests less in encouraging ordinary Kenyans to see themselves more as Kenyans than as members of a particular tribe.

On Congo and Africa

Several African leaders with the support of the United Nations have as of Sunday 24th February 2013 announced a proposed "framework" to help bring to an end, the decades- old conflict and instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The proposal calls for closer cooperation by Congo's neighbours, as well as for Congo to institute political changes that would make a peaceful resolution of Its conflict possible. It is understandable the scepticism that has greeted this from some quarters given that it can at best, be looked at as 'An agreement in principle'. One is mindful that several efforts to bring about an end to the conflict in Congo have achieved scant if any results. One is however convinced that the beginning of the end of suffering in the DRC has to be initiated by those with the most to lose from continued conflict and instability...Africa and Africans. It is only an interested and engaged Africa that can truly emancipate itself from the cycle of violence and instability that has gripped it for so long.