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Daily Champion (Lagos)
EDITORIAL
October 20, 2005
Posted to the web October 20, 2005
Lagos
The insistence of Gabon's President El Hadj Omar Bongo (formerly Albert Bernard) on remaining his
country's president-for-life, even after 38 years in power, is very dangerous as it heightens the fear
that the wheel of democracy is unlikely to glide through Africa shortly.
Born 70 years ago, Bongo became Gabon's President in 1967. In the 38 years, so far, of his
presidency, his country's constitution has been amended 16 times - all designed to ensure that Bongo
remained the president. Gabon's latest constitutional amendment, in 2003, firmly conferred on Bongo
the status of president-for-life. Accordingly, though his current seven-year presidential term
terminates this year, President Bongo has already indicated his intention to contest the next
presidential election.
After the death in office last February of Gnassingbe Eyadema, Togo's President for 38 years,
President Bongo has become the longest serving leader in Africa. At present, Bongo shares an
uncommon obsession with power and office with several African leaders: Paul Biya, Cameroun's
President since 1982; Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's President since 1980; and Al Muammar Gaddafi,
Libya's President since 1969.
The practice is sometimes referred to in political circles as "sit tightism" which ironically has been
largely associated with the leadership pattern in Africa. Once elected in multi-party states, the civilian
leaders have manipulated the constitution to grant themselves perpetual tenures in office.
By altering the constitution to grant himself indefinite tenure in office, President Bongo has outrightly
abused the constitutional process, unduly squeezed out of power his political rivals and denied the
Gabonese the right to choose their leader. A people denied their political right in this way have always
resorted to violent means to secure the right. It took opposition - masterminded bloody riots on the
streets of Kenya to compel, in 1997, President Arap Moi, who had ruled Kenya since 1978, to accept
a constitutional amendment limiting the president's tenure.
Much more fundamental and perturbing is that the denial of people's right to choose their leader, or
the self-perpetuation by African leaders, is the root of dozens of civil or guerrilla wars on the
continent. Africans who felt short-changed have scurried to the bush to hurt missiles at dictators who
have rigged them out of power unjustly and interfered with their personal rights.
Even when the life president eventually dies in office, or is forced out of office, there is usually a crisis
of succession, which most of the time degenerates into the emergence of guerrillas and civil wars.
That was the case in Cote d'Ivoire after Felix Houphouet-Boigny, in Sierra Leone after Siaka Stevens,
and in Liberia after William Tubman, who ruled Liberia for 28 years and died in office. Such a situation
should be avoided in Gabon. The Gabonese should emulate several African countries, notably
Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, who resisted their leaders' attempts at self-perpetuation.
Self-perpetuation guarantees only political instability and poverty. It stifles opposition and forecloses
ventilation of ideas for improvement of the economy and enhancement of people's welfare. Because it
is a one-man dictatorship, things are done according to the wishes of the dictator and his clique. And
because the president for life has stayed long in power, he is bereft of ideas on what it takes to run
efficient and purposeful contemporary government.
Gabon is a land abundant in petroleum and other minerals, but its prodigious wealth has not reflected
in the lives of the common Gabonese, who have remained poor and needy. Having been in power for
38 years, President Bongo has run out of ideas on how to improve the lot of his people.
The African Union (AU) and the international community, especially France which retains historical
and economic links with Gabon, should persuade President Bongo to step aside. He ought to be
reminded that self-perpetuation, as has been the experience in Africa, has always led to total disaster.
At the expiry, this year, of his current presidential tenure, the honourable thing for Bongo to do is to
leave office, and allow democracy to strike root and flourish in Gabon.
EDITORIAL
October 20, 2005
Posted to the web October 20, 2005
Lagos
The insistence of Gabon's President El Hadj Omar Bongo (formerly Albert Bernard) on remaining his
country's president-for-life, even after 38 years in power, is very dangerous as it heightens the fear
that the wheel of democracy is unlikely to glide through Africa shortly.
Born 70 years ago, Bongo became Gabon's President in 1967. In the 38 years, so far, of his
presidency, his country's constitution has been amended 16 times - all designed to ensure that Bongo
remained the president. Gabon's latest constitutional amendment, in 2003, firmly conferred on Bongo
the status of president-for-life. Accordingly, though his current seven-year presidential term
terminates this year, President Bongo has already indicated his intention to contest the next
presidential election.
After the death in office last February of Gnassingbe Eyadema, Togo's President for 38 years,
President Bongo has become the longest serving leader in Africa. At present, Bongo shares an
uncommon obsession with power and office with several African leaders: Paul Biya, Cameroun's
President since 1982; Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's President since 1980; and Al Muammar Gaddafi,
Libya's President since 1969.
The practice is sometimes referred to in political circles as "sit tightism" which ironically has been
largely associated with the leadership pattern in Africa. Once elected in multi-party states, the civilian
leaders have manipulated the constitution to grant themselves perpetual tenures in office.
By altering the constitution to grant himself indefinite tenure in office, President Bongo has outrightly
abused the constitutional process, unduly squeezed out of power his political rivals and denied the
Gabonese the right to choose their leader. A people denied their political right in this way have always
resorted to violent means to secure the right. It took opposition - masterminded bloody riots on the
streets of Kenya to compel, in 1997, President Arap Moi, who had ruled Kenya since 1978, to accept
a constitutional amendment limiting the president's tenure.
Much more fundamental and perturbing is that the denial of people's right to choose their leader, or
the self-perpetuation by African leaders, is the root of dozens of civil or guerrilla wars on the
continent. Africans who felt short-changed have scurried to the bush to hurt missiles at dictators who
have rigged them out of power unjustly and interfered with their personal rights.
Even when the life president eventually dies in office, or is forced out of office, there is usually a crisis
of succession, which most of the time degenerates into the emergence of guerrillas and civil wars.
That was the case in Cote d'Ivoire after Felix Houphouet-Boigny, in Sierra Leone after Siaka Stevens,
and in Liberia after William Tubman, who ruled Liberia for 28 years and died in office. Such a situation
should be avoided in Gabon. The Gabonese should emulate several African countries, notably
Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, who resisted their leaders' attempts at self-perpetuation.
Self-perpetuation guarantees only political instability and poverty. It stifles opposition and forecloses
ventilation of ideas for improvement of the economy and enhancement of people's welfare. Because it
is a one-man dictatorship, things are done according to the wishes of the dictator and his clique. And
because the president for life has stayed long in power, he is bereft of ideas on what it takes to run
efficient and purposeful contemporary government.
Gabon is a land abundant in petroleum and other minerals, but its prodigious wealth has not reflected
in the lives of the common Gabonese, who have remained poor and needy. Having been in power for
38 years, President Bongo has run out of ideas on how to improve the lot of his people.
The African Union (AU) and the international community, especially France which retains historical
and economic links with Gabon, should persuade President Bongo to step aside. He ought to be
reminded that self-perpetuation, as has been the experience in Africa, has always led to total disaster.
At the expiry, this year, of his current presidential tenure, the honourable thing for Bongo to do is to
leave office, and allow democracy to strike root and flourish in Gabon.