On December 9th, Walt commented on the refusal of Laurent Gbagbo, president of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to concede defeat in a presidential election held the previous November, even though he had clearly been beaten by Alassane Ouattara.
This is in keeping with African culture, particularly the cult of the "Big Man", the chief of chiefs in the tribal -- "feudal" would be a better word -- system which is still a hallmark of African politics. Once you become a Big Man -- a "chef", as they say in English-speaking Africa -- you remain so for life. Example: the late but not lamented Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who ruled the tiny state of Malawi (formerly Nyasaland) from independence until his death at the age of 100 (or more -- no-one knew for sure).
By comparison, Gbagbo is only 65, so reckons he should have at least three decades left. He clings to power in Abidjan, while Ouattara is setting up shop in Yamoussoukro. Yes, Ivory Coast has not only two presidents, but two capitals.
The former colonial power, France, and the United Nations want to recognize Ouattara, but they're not sure how to dislodge the limpet-like Gbagbo. So rather than impose a white, western concept like "the man with the most votes wins", they've asked on the so-called African Union to find an African solution.
The African Union has responded by appointing a mediating team which is supposed to have a little chat with Messrs Gbagbo and Ouattara -- in separate palaces, one hopes -- to make the peace.
And what a team it is! It includes Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, elected a couple of years ago in an election widely viewed as a fraud and a travesty. Also on the panel is Goodluck Jonathan [Are you sure that's right? Ed.], who was the president of Nigeria but isn't president yet because the election which he plans on winning has yet to be held. Good luck to him!
It gets better...or worse, depending on your point of view. The chairman of the panel is to be none other than Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe -- once, present and future President of Zimbabwe. Comrade Bob knows a thing or two about disputed elections and clinging to power, having done just that following an unexpected defeat at the polls in 2008.
The story bears repeating. Having been Zimbabwe's chief of chiefs since independence in 1980, Mugabe was compelled, by a need for a semblance of respectability, to seek a renewed mandate. The idea of declaring him "President for Life" had been mooted, but rejected because the givers of foreign aid find it politically difficult to keep throwing money at dictators.
In 2008, for the first time since independence, Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party faced a serious challenge from Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democractic Change. Tsvangirai was predicted to be the easy winner of a straight two-man fight, so a dupe named Arthur Mutambara was found to head a breakaway faction of the MDC and become the third man in the fight.
After a run-up marked by brutal intimidation of the opposition, the vote was duly held. As the first returns trickled in, Mr. T. was leading Bob by a comfortable margin, with Mutambara a distant third. Then, all of a sudden, the Electoral Commission -- Zanu-PF appointees to a man -- stopped counting the ballots!
Weeks went by. The people of Zimbabwe were understandably keen to know who had won. Finally it was announced that Tsvangirai had received something like 49% of the votes, against 47% for the incumbent. Mr. T. was on his way to State House to measure the windows for new drapes, when constitutional experts reminded everyone that under Zimbabwe's amended constitution, one had to obtain 50% +1 of the votes cast to be elected!
So there would have to be a runoff. Tsvangirai did not want to risk having any more of his supporters lose their lives, so he withdrew. Mugabe ran unopposed and, not surprisingly, won.
That is how Robert Mugabe hung onto power against the wishes of the majority of his countrymen. The experience will no doubt stand him in good stead as he fixes the flawed Ivorian election. "Set a chief to catch a chief." Africa wins again.
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