We can surely extend this statement to all other beleaguered states in Africa--DR Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Kenya, etc. But the trouble lies with our assumptions about the democratic strength of "the people". Yeah, i remember the Arab Spring and how it surged through all those despotic states. But then, aren't we reconsidering our hadty tagging of that even as "revolutions"? Haven't we already forgotten the immense and mortal sacrifice of Boazzizi? Haven't the Arab Spring been turned back into the status quo? Even in democratic theory, "the people" is a problematic category. And sociopolitical realities, especially in Africa and the Middle East, bear this out.
In the contest over social change, Antonio Negri argues that there is an ongoing rivalry between the reactive and authoritarian constitive power and the popular and democratic constituent forces. Empirical evidence reveals that the former has the upper hand and wins almost all the time. Did the people actually win in Egypt and Tunisia and all those other places? Did Nigerians win when the price of fuel.was increased and their lives were thrown into jeopardy and they went on the street in an unprecedented protest? I'm not sure.
The truth is that the people are hapless and without means for achieving the desired change. On the other hand, the constitutive capacity of the modern state lies in its ability, according to Weber, to rationalise the political topography and impose coercive and mediated order on it. Thus, the constituent forces will always resurge, and it will almost always be defeated by the constitutive power.
The pertinent question is that of how to create a constituent force that is not reined in and defeated by new constitutive power. The answer to that question will not place the responsibility for social change entirely at the feet of Ugandans or Nigerians or Malians or Tunisians or Algerians or Congolese, as the above statement urges.
All things being equal, the people at one critical time or the other need their vanguard--intellectuals, civil society activists and even politicians.
Adeshina Afolayan
From: "'kayode Ketefe' via USA Africa Dialogue Series" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
To: <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - As Museveni continues Africa tradition of shame
Date: Wed, Feb 24, 2016 12:22As Museveni continues Africa's tradition of shame KAYODE KETEFE To the whole world, the continent of Africa has become an easy reference point when it comes to irresponsible and bad governance. Sentiments apart, most western stereotypes concerning Africa in the area of self-governance are not without foundations. Africans continually throws up eccentricities that underscore the theory that they cannot rule themselves. As a matter of fact, you can exhaust all the synonyms in the thesaurus semantically revolving around senseless leadership and they will fit perfectly with the Dark Continent's tradition. Only last week, one of the sit tight leaders in Africa, Yoweri Museveni, a 71-year old dictator, claimed to have won the presidential election of that country once again and thus landed a fifth term to continue his despotism. Museveni had began his career as a popular President both home and abroad. As a matter of fact, his government had enjoyed widespread international support in the early years and he managed to put the Uganda economy back on the right track through adoption of the neoliberal structural adjustments scripted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, like all sit tight leaders, he gradually descended into despotism by muzzling the press and stamping on human rights. In the period leading to the just concluded election, Museveni had launched a most comprehensive assault on the opposition.The leader of opposition Dr. Kizza Besigye, had been arrested for about three times and was briefly detained just before the election. Several opposition figures were arrested, tortured and humiliated while others were thrown in detention. In fact, Museveni turned the state police into a terror machine to shatter opposition's courage and deflate its spirit. Few months ago, the whole civilized world was shocked when a female human rights activist, Ms Zaina Fatuma, was publicly humiliated. Ms Fatuma, a member of the National Executive Committee of the opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change's (FDC), was stripped totally naked and manhandled while being arrested by police at Kanyaryeru in Kiruhura. She was on the entourage of the opposition leader on the way to a political rally when their vehicle was waylaid. Narrating her ordeal, she said even after she succumbed to the arrest and willingly agreed to follow the police the latter insisted in stripping her naked as a punitive measure. According to the result released by the tele-guarded Uganda's electoral body, Museveni polled 60 percent ahead of Besigye who was credited with 35 percent of the votes cast. Not a few believed that this was a doctored result. This is not even withstanding the fact that a large segment of the electorate from areas of influence of the opposition had been systematically disenfranchised. As a matter of fact, when the results were being announced, stern-looking, gun-toting and bloody-thirsty state policemen had surrounded the opposition leader, Dr. Besigye's house. Last week's election had been variously condemned by international observers being marred with fundamental irregularities. Besigye and his supporters claimed that the election was massively rigged. The United States criticized the election on the grounds of serious irregularities and stated that "the election was deeply inconsistent with international standards and expectations for any democratic process." The European Union said the election "was lacking in openness and transparency" Other international observers raised concerns over heavy-handed treatment of the opposition by the police before and during the election. But Museveni would have none of that. In his hubristic pomposity, he dismissed the criticisms, "I don't need lectures from anybody, Those Europeans are not serious. Anybody who is trying to challenge the results of this election must not be serious." Museveni declared. Therefore, the despot is poised to extend his over three decades in power and continue the tradition of African woeful leaders like Idi Amin, Jean Bedel Bokassa, Houphet Boigny, Robert Mugabe, Samuel Doe, Sani Abacha, Mobutu Sese Seko, Hosni Mubarak, Muamar Ghadafi and Laurent Gbagbo. It is really sad that examples of good leadership in Africa are very scarce. More scarcer are the leaders who would voluntarily relinquished powers. Concerning the latter one may speak in glowing terms of President, Rupiah Banda, of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy in Zambia. He was the incumbent President when the opposition, led by Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, defeated him in a Presidential election held on September 20, 2011. In spite of the fact than the election was keenly contested, with Banda being only outstripped by a mere 5% of the total votes cast, Banda was not only ready to transfer power, he did so with a spirit free from rancour and bitterness. Banda congratulated his conqueror, and with endearing magnanimity, said, "Now it is time for me to step aside. Now is the time for a new leader. My time is done. It is time for me to say goodbye. "I urge you all now to rally behind your new president, nay, our new president, we may have different ideas but we both want the same thing - a better Zambia" With these moving words, which project a spirit very rare among African leaders, Banda who had only spent three years and three months in office, surrendered to the will of the people. His conduct shows a virtue worthy of commendation, and more importantly, emulation. Last year, our own compatriot, President Goodluck Jonathan also showed example of good leadership by peacefully abdicating Aso Rock for his opponent, after being defeated in the Presidential election. Unfortunately, the trend proved episodic and does not continue, the recent development in Uganda has continued to nurture the stereotype being held about African governance. Ketefe may be followed on twitter @Ketesco -- Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group. 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