Monthly Archives: March 2010

corruption in South Africa

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South African democracy still has a long way to go. My greatest fear is that ANC supremacy might get into the heads of the party bosses and have them collapse the distinction between party and state. There are already allegations of corruption within the top ranks of the ANC. Ironically, if corruption is to be tackled head on within the ANC, Jacob Zuma is the right man for the job, his own failings notwithstanding. He seems to have a direct connection with average ANC supporters and could use this to rein in party bosses, or at least make them steal less.

It is hard being a disciplined hegemonic party. Tanzania’s CCM is a lesson in what the ANC should avoid. Botswana’s BDP might be a better example of a relatively disciplined hegemonic party. The party has ruled Botswana since 1966 without falling into the temptations of grand corruption and power grabbing.

Edit: Recent events have shown cracks beginning to form within the BDP. The world is watching what Ian Khama, son of Seretse Khama is prepared to do to secure his presidency in the face of increasing opposition.

sectarian violence in nigeria getting out of hand

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The BBC reports that at least 500 people were killed in a massacre carried out on Sunday morning by machete wielding men near the Nigerian city of Jos. This Day, a Nigerian daily, puts the number at 200. The attacks were in response to similar killings that took place in the same area in January.

This latest incident highlights the ineptitude of the Nigerian security forces. Most of the villagers were hacked to death with machetes. In an age of cell phones it is unbelievable that the Nigerian police could not have arrived soon enough to stop this madness. It must take quite some time to kill more than 500 people with machetes. The slow response of the Nigerian security forces is unpardonable. And in any case how can such a plot be planned and carried out in an already volatile area out without the knowledge of the Nigerian intelligence services?

So far 95 people have been arrested. This is not enough. Abuja should move ahead and identify the planners of this abhorrent act and serve them justice. Anything short of this and the international community should move in and try those involved for crimes against humanity. Over 350 people were killed back in January when this sort of madness descended on Jos. The January attack in Kuru was just as ghastly. Several bodies were dumped in wells. Abuja should stop the killings ASAP and then attend to the problems that force people to commit such heinous crimes in the first place.

President Gnassingbe wins togo poll

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The president of Togo has won re-election. According to the country’s electoral commission Mr. Gnassingbe got 1.2 million votes out of a total of 2 million votes cast. The opposition and a number of election observers have voiced their concerns over the fairness of the process. Mr. Faure Gnassingbe will most certainly be sworn in to continue serving as president once the country’s constitutional court approves the result.

Gnassingbe 1 Democracy 0

togo goes to the polls

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Togo, a tiny West African country of 6.6 million, goes to the polls today. Faure Gnassingbe, President of Togo and son of the late strongman Gnassingbe Eyadema, is hoping to be re-elected for a second term. His father ruled the country uninterrupted between 1967 until his death in 2005. The younger Gnassingbe was then installed by the military as interim president before elections were held. Most observers believe that these elections were not free and fair. Many hope that this time round things will be different.Yeah right.

African democracy’s teething problems will not go away just yet. 2010’s busy elections schedule will surely bring some of these problems to the fore. The top four to watch include the elections in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Ivory Coast. Paul Kagame will most certainly win in Rwanda, but the question is how much room he will give the opposition this time round. Mr.Kagame has been president since his forces ended the Rwanda genocide in 1994 and has been touted to be among the more economically liberal strongmen on the Continent (he is no Tutu but he is good for business). In Ethiopia Meles Zenawi’s party, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDP), is also expected to win. Mr. Zenawi has been in power since he deposed the tin pot despot Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991. Here too it remains unclear just how much opposition Mr. Zenawi will tolerate in parliament.

Madagascar, as you may remember had a coup in March of last year. It will be interesting to see who emerges as winner in this election. The contest is between the factions led by former DJ and mayor of Antananarivo Andry Rajoelina and the man he kicked out of office Marc Ravalomanana.The political instability in this island country off the east coast of the Continent has not gone without economic consequences.

Ivory Coast, once a paragon of stability in West Africa, is also holding elections this year. This year’s polls were originally planned to be held in 2005 before a bloody civil war that divided the country in half got in the way. The land of Houphouet-Boigny has not known peace and stability since the strongman’s passing in 1993. Mr. Houphouet-Boigny was president between 1963 until his death in 1993. Among his accomplishments was the relocation of the capital of Ivory Coast to Yamoussoukro, his home town, and the construction there of the US $ 300 million Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (which the Guinness Books of records lists as the largest church in the world).

2009 kcse results out

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UPDATE: The KNEC system seems to be down, judging by the amount of comments and requests I have received in the last few hours. I guess the cell phone thing is not working after all. Even the Nation went down at some point last night.

The 2009 KCSE results are out.

The best student in the country in last year’s national examination was David Ndung’u of Mang’u High School (yours truly’s alma mater. Congrats David!!! Jishinde Ushinde!!!). The top 100 list of students is largely dominated by students from public national and provincial schools. More on this here…

I am yet to read the entire report but the one thing that jumped at me is that no girl made it to the top ten nationally. Only 27 girls were in the top 100. The best female student was Grace Wambui of Moi Girls School Eldoret. She came 11th. Additionally, although overall performance went up this year the pass rate (C+ and above) was a dismal 24.56%. Mr. Ongeri clearly has more to answer for than just the cash scandal that hangs over his head.

kenyan students await the release of the 2009 KCSE results

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The Kenyan Ministry of Education is due to release the results of Kenya’s high school national examinations (KCSE). This year the government will text the results directly to student’s cell phones – for those who subscribed – mitigating the need to actually visit one’s school or the KNEC headquarters to find out about one’s grades.

I expect that the usual suspects – subsidized national schools like Mang’u, Starehe, Alliance Girls, Kenya High etc – will top the charts. Although public and therefore subsidized by the government, the overwhelming percentage of the students in these schools usually come from private primary schools. Most public primary schools have since gone to the dogs due to the ill planned introduction of free primary education by the Kibaki Administration. And as in most years, I expect to hear a lot of noise from members of civil society (whose kids go to private primary schools, then public high schools and universities) to complain about the unfair education system that continues to reproduce existing inequalities. Silence on this issue from these same civil society types will then set in in about a week or so, until the next time the ministry releases exam results.

still no concrete deadline for a return to democracy in Niger

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Niger’s military junta just named an interim government that included three generals that were close to former President Tandja. The leader of the junta, Major Djibo, promised a return to democracy in the near future but did not give actual dates.

I still have faith in the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, see post below. That said, the longer they stay in power the harder it will be for Niger to return to civilian rule.