Those who have nothing but guns for the hungry, and think of nothing but death and dying, let them spend our earth’s fortune harvesting blood from the fields of war. The last banquet shall be their children’s blood.
—Kofi Anyidoho—
For lack of better examples, let me say—albeit reluctantly— that South Africa nearly proved to me to be a beacon of hope for African countries that take issues of transparency and sound democratic governance seriously.
It easily appealed to many how President Jacob Zuma—call him Msholozi if you like—was pinned over his shenanigans surrounding the renovation of his Nkandla home. What many of us found impressive and, somehow shocking, is that a seating African President was taken to task for abusing public finances. You and I know that this does not happen that often in Africa.
Even though Zuma, as widely predicted, managed to come out clean on the other side, the public censure and anxious moments he went through surely gave some of us ephemeral bliss. It is quite a pleasant feeling seeing an African leader, most of whom are elevated to demigods, nearly getting his wings plucked and only surviving by the whiskers of Kûrvi-Tasch.
South Africa, on this, might surely be touted as a bastion of democratic rectitude yet, a closer look gives you that frustrating feeling that South Africa is as rotten to the marrow just like a good number of countries on our damned continent.
The final line in this narration is that Zuma has just proven to be a paid up member of the elite club of African leaders who will survive and stay in power despite their dirty acts being there for all to see. And what makes the situation more hallowing to those who wish this continent well is that these kind of crooked leaders always have massive support. It matters little how grave the offence might be. What matters most is how happy and loyal a leaders’ team of cronies is. The rest is a burden for those who think otherwise.
In fact, on this part of earth, it appears we are easily tantalised by warped leaders whose deeds are so heinous and foul that even the devil would be ashamed of. For their record of crookedness, we call them Excellency, for their blatant lies, we address them as honourable and for their brutality, we set holidays to celebrate them.
I n Zimbabwe they are stuck with Robert Mugabe, a senile man, who has held the country hostage for close to three decades—apart from years he served as Prime Minister— yet, at 92, he still thinks he can run the show. Pierre Nkurunziza’s selfish desire to remain in power until apocalypse turned Burundi scarlet recently while Yoweri Museveni has just bulldozed his way on the ballot in Uganda despite his stomach-churning democratic record. But these are, as I said earlier, the kind of leaders we shockingly prefer and, true to it, they always find their way to state house.
We do not need to wander far for examples. Here at home, we elected one Peter Mutharika even though he did not stand on a moral higher ground. Once upon a time Mutharika was involved in the dubious purchase of a Malawi Housing Corporation house along with other politically connected people, and after messing up almost every ministry he held on his demised brother, Bingu’s, watch we rewarded him with the presidency. And today we all roll the red carpet for him and praise him at every chance available.
What is clear is that we have unconsciously, not only in Malawi but in Africa, created a club of leaders who pretty know that they will still be adored and worshipped even if they commit whatever crime. It is even worse here at home where presidents walk round with immunity chests and are free to break the law at will. They do not even care about it. Some even make terrible mistakes just to protect their bosom cronies at the expense of innocent citizens.
Take for example the recent sad news about the retrenchment of 250 staff members at FDH/MSB . We all know the story about MSB and how it found itself on its belly because of toxic loans. We do not need to be burdened by the need to be civil here to say that the bank found itself in a mess because people who are connected to the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party decided to default repayment of loans. And as a way of rewarding their loyalty, the government decided to sell the bank despite public voice against the move.
In the end, as we have seen, people have been forced home with nothing but broken hopes and raped dreams yet that one man who, because of his political connections, dried the bank coffers is home and perhaps growing fatter. Woe to those that sacrifice hundreds life just for one selfish man and his political masters.
But I always believe that even though people get away with their monstrous deeds and celebrate their escape by spinning their gory chalices at their diabolic banquets, there is always cosmic comeuppance awaiting them.
As for me, I choose to take the path of honesty and refuse to genuflect on the altar of Diablo.
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