HOW ABOUT TERM LIMITS FOR EUROPEAN LEADERS ASK EAST AFRICANS AFTER EU MEDDLING

IT IS ‘MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS’ AS EAST AFRICANS TELL OFF THE EU

(Posted 05th December 2015)

Forgotten seems the fact that Kigali is arguably the safest and cleanest city in Africa. Forgotten seems the fact that Rwanda’ greets visitors when leaving the airport for the city with a large sign that they are entering a corruption free zone. Forgotten seems to be the fact that Rwanda has one of the most admired records in transparent use of donor and development partner funds on the continent. Forgotten seems to be the fact that Rwanda, a victim of one of the worst modern day genocides, aided and abetted by at least some European countries and with the US standing by watching from the distance has risen like the Phoenix from the ashes and become a strong force to ensure regional security in the Great Lakes region.

What you might wonder prompted these statements?

The United States, blundering again into African affairs like a hormone driven adolescent, followed by the European Union, felt the need to tell Rwandans how to conduct their political internal affairs and all but asking President Kagame to step aside at the end of his current terms of office.

Citing in the same breath the developments in neighbouring Burundi have the remarks caused widespread consternation in the region and prompted immediate responses on the social and mainstream media.

For one has neighbour Burundi’s regime leader undertaken a blatant power grab by pretending that the Arusha Peace Accord which brought him to power and gave him two terms of office was too vague and in fact permitted him to stay on for another term. On the other hand has Rwanda in recent months undertaken wide spread consultations about a change in their constitution and has the Senate and Parliament endorsed a range of suggestions made which will be put to an open democratic vote by Rwandans. Should they agree with the proposed changes will President Kagame be able to stand for another term of office of 7 years before the new constitutional changes would kick in, at which stage the terms will be reduces to five years and limited to two at a go.

‘What the hell is the EU thinking meddling so openly in our internal affairs. What is the US thinking of meddling in our affairs? Yes, the US has a two term limit for their presidents but look at the EU. Britain does not have a term limit and Blair had three. Germany has no term limits and some of their chancellors, present and past, served multiple terms. In fact few other countries in Europe other than France have term limits on their Prime Ministers or Presidents. What issue do they suddenly have with Rwanda, a strong ally in the fight against terror in Africa, a committed peace keeping supporter for the African Union and the United Nations? Let me remind them that after wiping out what they called pro-Rwanda militias in Eastern Congo they are now literally a year sitting on their hands but have not eliminated the FDLR which is sworn towards aggression against Rwanda and has time and again vowed to repeat and finish the genocide if ever they return to power. Let me be very clear, if the so called West sees more and more African countries look East, it is entirely their own fault. They offend us, treat us like political minnows and minors and try to dictate values and solutions they themselves do not abide by. I do not want to use a four letter word here but ‘Get Lost’ comes nearest’ ranted a regular source from Kigali with dozens of others echoing such sentiments via emails and direct messages.

Notable is also the relative silence of the power grab attempt of Kinshasa’s regime leader Kabila, where apparently other standards apply compared to Rwanda. Kabila is desperately trying to manipulate the rules to stay in power, unlike of course in Rwanda where from public consultations to extensive debates in parliament and the senate a potential change of the constitution was discussed before it is being put to the vote. Contention by Western powers that President Kagame has been in power since the overthrow of the killer regime in 1994 are also wrong as he was first elected President in 2003 before being re-elected in 2010 for a second seven year term.

It goes to show, that Western nations and blocks are often simply to naïve to figure out what is good for Africa, something we who live here perfectly well understand but they, including their diplomatic staff on shortish postings does never seem to get a handle on. Democracy is not the same around the world, it has many faces and it is a journey to a destination which is ongoing. Dictates and brass demands to live up to certain standards therefore are not only unwise, diplomatically dangerous cliff hangers and patently unwelcome because they are seen as open meddling, especially at a time when in South Africa the China – Africa Summit is taking place. Talk of shooting off your own legs people, time to wake up to reality!