The Law in Africa

Yoweri Museveni’s election victory did not take the World by surprise; he is a strong man on this part of the earth. I took much interest in the electioneering in mu country-Uganda largely due to the fragile East African Community and the belief that Africa is noted to have become full of fresh democratic air. I received a text message that made me get very angry with Africa during the voter counting in Uganda. It read in part… “Pray for us. Preliminary results in 49 counting points show that Bisigye is leading. Some people are scared and most offices are locked.” Why on earth should a country that claims to be a democracy create a scenario where ones victory can be synonymous to chaos?

Note; my fellow country man wanted prayers not because he didn’t vote for Besigye, but because he was scared that a Bisigye victory will unleash the old bush Museveni on Ugandans. East Africans have witnessed increased democratic space ever since Julius Nyerere relinquished power followed by Daniel Arap Moi. This however does not mean that citizens in these three countries breathe freely; they are constantly harassed by the thought police.

Please allow me to digress a bit… a text message just landed from my Kenyan editor,where government has stomped the East African Standard Newspaper offices. It reads in part, “The Law. It is a great book. I now see clearly how the state protects the interests of the powerful under the guise of enforcing the law…” a Kenyan Managing Editor is being held by the police for publishing a story that alleged that a former ‘rebel’ minister, now an opposition luminary held secret talks with the Kenyan president! May those up and high left with some space for reason release him in one piece.

Just incase you are not familiar with the World of books, get hold of the book ‘The Law’ by Frederic Bastiat and you need not get surprised when you read about leaders claiming to be helping the masses. And so stated Bastiat, ‘The state is that great fiction by which everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else.’ I hope the Kenyan government operatives will buy past newspaper issues where they have advertised extensively about freedom of _expression…all Kenyans of goodwill need it.

Back to my story, Ugandans had to weigh between sustaining tranquility at the expense of popular vote. The Ugandan case, just as it is in the Kenyan media freedom scenario, point at the need to stop individuals from turning into institutions unto themselves. People in Africa must be wary of any one who attends to them in the name of saving or helping them. So Museveni, as you take up your final term (that is, if you don’t change your mind again) note that Ugandans respect the fact that you stabilized the country, but they too know that a savior can turn to a devil if he overstays his calling.oops!! hope my minister for Information does not read it