Fare thee well, Wade

| Tuesday March 27, 2012 00:00

This is a rare occurrence for Africa, a continent whose history is marred by countless coups d'etat, civil wars, hunger, poverty and all the negative ills of humanity. Wade's gesture is all the more inspiring for its sharp contrast to the situation in neighbouring Mali where soldiers mounted a bloodless coup last week.

However, it would be remiss of us not to comment on Wade's stance to seek a third term that left at least six people dead during protests that rocked the country a few weeks ago. His argument for a third term was that the law prescribing only two terms in office was enacted when he was already in office. While we may understand that with a struggle, we cannot grasp why Wade failed to see the writing on the wall that the Senegalese did not want him for even a day longer and instead proceeded to sUlly his reputation and the good that he may have done for Senegal by seeking to hang on to power.

Though he failed to improve the lives of ordinary Senegalese, stepping down at the end of his second term was an opportunity to restore his legacy. At 85, and having ruled the country for two decades, we wonder what drove Wade to want to hang around. Afterall, we Batswana know too well from a neighbour what a degenerate octogenarian can do to a robust economy.

Nevertheless, we hope the Senegalese will heal and move forward and are heartened that they have already taken a step in that direction. By agreeing TO a two-term limit for their leaders, the Senegalese do not want to be held to ransom by antiquated leaders with one foot in the grave and an uncanny eye on loot because history has shown us that such desperados can be dangerous in the extreme.

These tendencies are the reasons why this continent is still unable to provide food, water, shelter, electricity, healthcare and other basic needs for its people. These are the reasons why the African continent has become the dumping site for the rich and powerful West and why HIV/AIDS is still ravaging its peoples.

The continent's despicable leaders are the primary reason why Africa is home to the poorest of the poor when it holds the world's richest natural resources.Hence we doff our hats to those African leaders who peacefully step down at the end of their terms or upon defeat at the polls. As we do that, we take the opportunity to remind those with dictatorial tendencies in unlikely places to stop in their tracks because the continent is simply tired of despots. Mali is a curse, not an example!

                                                                     Today's thought

               'A conservative is a man who believes that nothing should be done for the first time.'

                                                                 - Alfred E Wiggam