|
Opposition leaders divided over...
2008-09-22 10:33:55
By Lusekelo Philemon
A number of opposition politicians and political analysts have described South African President Thabo Mbeki’s decision to resign as a wave that will massively shake the African political platform.
``I see this as tremendously unfortunate to our continent because many Africans view South Africa as a mirror of democracy,`` noted opposition United Democratic Party national chairman and Bariadi East legislator John Cheyo.
He said in an interview yesterday that the news of Mbeki’s decision had shocked the entire continent, and most especially the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region.
Cheyo explained that it was of fundamental importance for political parties in Africa to have strong mechanisms of solving internal problems ``rather than rushing into haphazard decisions that may have a disastrous effect``.
``I must admit I don’t know the reasons for Mbeki`s ouster but I still believe that tolerance among ANC members would have led to a much better and more decent way of dealing with the matters concerned,`` said Cheyo.
He said South Africa was one of the most politically stable countries in sub-Saharan Africa, ``a fact which had made other countries strive to borrow a leaf from it when it came to good governance``.
``But it has been possible for this to be South Africa’s horrible fate, who can tell which country will be the next victim?`` he queried.
NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman James Mbatia said he saw what had happened in South Africa as ``an important challenge to political parties in Tanzania, particularly the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, politicians and government officials who have been deceiving the people``.
``Mbeki`s resignation was a direct consequence of his recalcitrance and dishonesty to his party and his country,`` he pointed out, commending the ANC for “the noble decision that should rescue South Africa and its people from social and political unrest``.
According to Mbatia, the mess President Mbeki had plunged South Africa in was much less than was the case in Tanzania ``where some people in public offices have been hoodwinking and exploiting the people in different ways and with virtual impunity``.
However, Tanzania Labour Party national chairman Augustine Mrema described Mbeki as one of the heroes of the 21st century ``whose spirit and courage ought to be emulated for the benefit of the entire Africa continent``.
``President Mbeki has shown how African politics should to be run. He resigned in an admirably smooth way,`` he said.
Prof Mwesiga Baregu, a long-serving political science don and political analyst with the University of Dar es Salaam, said there was nothing new in Mbeki`s resignation ``because his fate was determined much earlier at an ANC meeting in Polakwane``.
Like Mrema, the professor applauded Mbeki “for being so much of a gentleman as to take a most difficult decision that many other African leaders before him have failed to take”.
``The move only helps to show the degree to which he has matured both as a politician and as a leader,`` Prof Baregu pointed out.
``This is the starting point of maturity in African democracy. Mbeki has accorded and won his party much-needed respect that will make it emerge all the stronger come the next elections,`` he added.
He allayed fears that Mbeki`s resignation would jeopardise the political situation in the SADC region, saying: ``I don’t see this development posing any threat. The changes in South Africa revolve around a single man, President Mbeki, and not the entire government system.``
On Saturday Mbeki accepted a resignation demand from his own ANC, which effectively ends a nine-year rule marked by economic prosperity but marred by allegations of abuse of power.
The party`s decision to remove Mbeki, who is favoured by investors for his pro-business policies, capped years of infighting sparked off by his 2005 firing of former deputy president Jacob Zuma over corruption scandal charges.
|
