The Dark Cloud over the South African Elections

On May 9th, Jacob Zuma was sworn in as the fourth President of South Africa since the end of the apartheid era. Though the campaign for the presidency was contentious, the elections were peaceful. South African icon Nelson Mandela gave Zuma his blessing. South Africans all over the country celebrated Zuma's inauguration. Everything seemed good. What should have been a celebration of good governance and peaceful democratic elections in an African nation by the international community has instead been overshadowed by the dark cloud of corruption. In the last five years, Zuma's political career has been marred by scandal - first, because of his involvement in a controversial arms deal, and second and more troubling, because of allegations of rape.

In 2005, a 31-year old HIV-positive woman claimed that Zuma, who is married (albeit to three women) raped her at his home in Johannesberg. Zuma contended that the sex was consensual. What is most troubling about this case, however, is Zuma's justification for his actions. He claimed that the young woman had worn a short skirt, which he understood as inviting him to take sexual action. When asked whether he feared contracting HIV from the woman, as he had unprotected sex, Zuma responded that he would not be infected because after having sex, he took a shower.

In any other country (I would hope), the mere uttering of the word "rape" and "presidential candidate" in the same sentence would mean an automatic disqualification from the race and political ostracization for a candidate. However, for Zuma, the allegations seem to have had little effect on his presidential aspirations. Though a large number of South Africans protested Zuma and his actions, a considerable number of Zuma's supporters blamed the Zuma's victim, even going so far as burning her image while chanting "Burn the bitch!"

If this is the kind of leader that South Africa has chosen, I worry for the future of the country. South Africa has long been one of the most stable nations in the continent, but what kind of example does this new president send to its people and the world?

What kind of message does Zuma's adulterous actions send to wives in South Africa? South Africa has a tremendously high HIV/AIDS rate. What kind of message does its president send to his people by claiming to have protected himself from the virus by showering?

What kind of message do Zuma's supporters send to rape victims all over South Africa? That rape is the fault of the victim and not the victimizer? That those who have been raped and who speak out can be abused by their communities?

Issues like these run too deep for comfort. Injustices and prejudices are defeated not in days, months, or sometimes even years, but in generations; Zuma's election has undoubtedly impeded women's rights in South Africa by showing that injustices against women, such as rape, are socially acceptable. So, though South Africa may have embarked on a new path on May 9th, the road the nation will travel in the future will be nothing more than bittersweet.

Happy Independence Day, Sierra Leone!!!!

On April 27th, 1961, my homeland, Sierra Leone, gained its independence from Great Britain. Today marks the 48th year since that event occurred, and even though Sierra Leone has had its fair share of problems through the decades, including a well-publicized civil war which stole the lives of hundreds of thousands of my countrymen and displaced even more, Sierra Leone's future is slowly but surely becoming brighter. Although I was across the Atlantic Ocean during the Sierra Leone Civil War, I remember secretly listening to the my parents' conversation with members of my family in SaLone. I vividly recall the sound of my grandmother's voice on the phone as she told my dad that she had to go -- the rebels had just come to Brookfields, a section of Freetown, and she and others had to hide. Since then, it's been my aim to help Sierra Leone, and other countries like it, and to help stabilize them so that their people can live in safety and freedom. So, on this day, I say, Happy Independence Day, SaLone....this one's for you.

Africa: Land of the Very Poor and Excessively Rich

Africa is a continent of extreme riches and extreme poverty. Just take a look at the picture to the left. In it, four workers install a marble staircase into the (unfinished) home of Nigerian Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

According to a 2005 New York Times article, Alamieyeseigha, also known as "The Runaway Governor," is believed to have stolen and/or misspent over $400 billion of government funds and used the money to purchase an oil refinery in Ecuador and several homes in London, California, and South Africa. Alamieyeseigha denied the charges, that is after he was caught trying to flee Nigeria... with forged travel documents... while wearing a dress and wig. See below for before and after:

Okay, so the picture on the bottom is fake, but doesn't capture how utterly ridiculous this man is. The sad part is that there are many others like Governor Run-Away who steal government funds, lavishly spend these funds, and more often than not, pay no consequences for their actions. So the question then is: What can be done to stop this?

I'm sure that there are a myriad of academics, public officials, and citizens alike who have their own solutions, but there has been one that has struck me: Install a no-nonsense, authoritative figure to single-handedly wipe out financial corruption. My dad first presented this solution to corruption to me, citing how President Jerry Rawlings was able to turn Ghana from one of the most corrupt nations in West Africa to one of the most successful and least corrupt on the continent. Dambisa Moyo, author of the recently released book Dead Aid, presents a similar idea to my dad. In her book, she writes of a "benevolent dictator" possibly being the key to promoting development in African nations.

Though I definitely understand where my dad and Dambisa Moyo are coming from, the idea of an authoritarian/dictator is unsettling to me, only because I think the idea would only be successful in an ideal Africa, where it would be almost certain that a selfless individual with honest motivations, legal actions, and a non-corrupt circle of friends and advisers would be in such an authoritative position. Then again, if such an individual were to be installed and successfully eradicate corruption and promote development, the future of African nations would be brighter.

If anything, the fact that even top African intellectuals are considering dictators, whether benevolent or not, to solve Africa's problems is a sign of how messed up affairs are across the continent. This is not good.


(First picture from New York Times)

Welcome to AfricaForward!

On July 28th, 1999, this man, Liman Koita, lost his son. Fourteen-year-old Yaguine Koita, along with his best friend Fode Tounkara, froze to death while stowing away in the wheel bay of a plane bound for Europe from the West African nation of Guinea.

Among their possessions found with their bodies was a letter authored by the two boys and adressed to the "members and officials of Europe":

"[We] call out for your solidarity and your kindness for the relief of Africa. Do help us, we suffer enormously in Africa, we have problems and some shortcomings regarding the rights of the child.

In terms of problems, we have war, disease, malnutrition, etc. As for the rights of the child in Africa, and especially in Guinea, we have too many schools but a great lack of education and training. Only in the private schools can one have a good education and good training, but it takes a great sum of money. Now, our parents are poor and it is necessary for them to feed us. Furthermore, we have no sports schools where we could practice soccer, basketball or tennis.

This is the reason, we, African children and youth, ask you to create a big efficient organization for Africa to allow us to progress.

Therefore, if you see that we have sacrificed ourselves and risked our lives, this is because we suffer too in Africa and that we need you to fight against poverty and to put an end to the war in Africa. Nevertheless, we want to learn, and we ask you to help us in Africa learn to be like you."

The tragic story of Yaguine and Fode is a direct result of the lack of economic and political development in Africa. The boys, lacking opportunity for education and employment, and enamored with television images of the West, lost their lives in pursuit of what should have been their God-given right. Even more disheartening is that thousands more people have died in their pursuits of better lives in the West.

This blog is intended to contribute to the discourse on development in Africa so that the stories of Koita and Tounkara will not repeat themselves. I hope that through this blog I can inspire those who are interested in African development to discuss, critically evaluate, and most importantly find solutions to problems that face Africa. Although this may be a very bold venture, I hope you come along for the ride.

Welcome to AfricaForward!