I'm appalled by the state of African countries these days. Recently, civil unrest has become more and more frequent during the pre-election and post-election period. Beginning with the recent most renowned post-election violence in 2007-2008 in Kenya that killed an estimated 1500 people, majority killed by a sect called the Mungiki. All those deaths were during a period of 2 to 3 months. This was to be followed by Nigeria's post-election violence that is being driven by a group called the Boko Haram and has already killed an estimated 100 people. The Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C) has its elections coming up in a few weeks, tension and fear is rising over whether there will be widespread violence and chaos. Can D.R.C escape this deadly trap that all African states are falling into or are they doomed to follow it? Is this continent bound for destruction or for glory? How can they make this evitable?
9 comments:
No politics does not go hand in hand with violence and i think Kenya which was a victim in their 2007 general elections has proven that.How you ask can we fight this trap...simple the citizens of a country have to decide and say no to being used as tools to fight the 'proxy wars' of the 'big' people who remain in the comfort of their houses
I do not believe Africa is bound for destruction but we just need to wake up and decide the way forward for ourselves
I agree with Cindy that the most recent general elections in Kenya is indeed a good example that things can change.
We need to work together and create awareness especially among the ignorant groups of people on various issues pertaining to leadership as a start at least.
Do not get me wrong I do think that it is a valid opinion. However, how can you teach and let a man know how to fish when he is reluctant to do so? Yes there are times when we do see change in Africa, but even when it looks so promising are we not always disappointed? Take into account that even though the elections are over, the fourth president has not finished his first 100 days. I fully believe that there is going to be an outbreak before you know it.
Well, thing is, we have an option of either focusing on the 5 steps we take backwards after ever 1 step forward or focusing on that one step forward.
The painful truth is that it may never be perfect but there is hope in advancing step by step and rising each time we fall.
It's either one looks at the positive and work with it or focuses on the negative and wallows in anger.
This however doesn't mean we should ignore all the wrong and act like nothing's going on. We should take action through the most mature means.
However Vanessa, why is it then that whenever we take a step forward we take 5 back? It sound very pessismistic of me saying it, but Africa as a whole can never really achieve much if we continue this way. We must learn of how to prevent taking 5 steps back, if we are only to look at the positive we wont be able to manage to learn of how to improve the next time a similar situation arises. But I feel that Africans are becoming more incompetent in areas with los of political conflict.
Arnold, don't you think Kenya focused on its negative and did something about that's why they didn't face any violence. they went back before moving forward making a violent free pre and post election
Still in the first 100 days of the new government, so it is not yet proper to make a statement or judgement on my behalf. That was only one aspect Kenya was able to focus on, now can it handle the next four aspects?
please elaborate on the next four aspects your talking about
1. How cost effective the government is (which as we can all see in kenya is the main problem with salaries)
2. Controlling the situation in areas that tend to have violence and securing areas such as bungoma where violence erupts.
3. In Wangari Mathaai's ideology for development of the basin the three legs of the stool must all be strong and in unison. One of this legs is good governance if the government gains the full support of the people and does not betray them then the second of these legs can also be achieved.
4. Managment of Resource whether natural or human, if people are unemployed or do not have access to what is the bare neccessity of natural resources then the people will discontent and unsatisfied with their lifestyle.
Post a Comment