Kikwete: icon or agony of democracy and impactful leader?

 

          When it’s announced that President Jake Kikwete won the so called The Icon of Democracy Award for 2014 that was issued by a dubious Nigerian man, I asked myself: The icon of demon crazy or the swords of Damocles, icon of cut-rate popularity, eminence and the likes or what?   No answer. I can smell a rat in this baloney due to a couple of reasons. Are Nigerian con men turning such a great man into a mugu or a dupable person as they call their victims?

          Firstly, many boozers (not I) say: The said award’s bogus. For, it doesn't reflect the truth on the ground. The whole scheme lacks research and rationale. To those on ground it doesn't reflect, the award’s more an affront, a mockery and a bad joke to democracy. One boozer wondered why all two awards, the man scooped for two years consecutively, have Nigeria connection.  When I look at the so-called Leadership Magazine that offered The Impactful Leader Award is based in Nigeria at address13 Mambilla Street, Off Aso Drive, and Asokoro.P. O. Box 9824 Garki – Abuja, Nigeria. So too, seasonal-journalist-turned pastor Elvis Ndubuisi Iruh is a Nigeria. Why? Is it a coincidence or a well-choreographed hocus-pocus?

Secondly, I thought it’s a joke doing some round online. But when the Directorate of Presidential Communication shamelessly confirmed it, I asked myself: Kikwete the icon of democracy amidst Katiba bottleneck-cum-debacle? I’d like to hear what UKAWA and all those who want our hunk to have a fitting and new constitution’ll say. Kikwete an icon of democracy among police massacres of innocent people? I’m waiting to hear what the victims of Arusha killings will say not to mention all those who suffered police brutalities in the hunk.

Moreover, I’m waiting to hear what the media fraternity’ll say about this new status of the icon of democracy amid police torture of journalists and activists?  What’ll Absalom Kibanda and Dr. Steve Ulimboka whose predicaments of March 5, 2013 and June 26, 2012 respectively speak volumes say regarding this “iconicity” while they suffered under the same regime whose head is feted?  What’ll the relatives of the victims of January 5^th 2011’s police holocausts say? Why doesn't the recipient of this accolade bother about them?  If this award were worthwhile, it was supposed to go to those victims mentioned above. How can the good man become an icon of democracy amid allegations of rigging and using EPA money to get into power and whatnot? It can’t be.

Why two awards in question have Nigeria behind them? You know what. Whatever the head of state’s involved in, it becomes a big hit and news for the media and the world in general. Looking at what’s been going on since last year when Kikwete’s given another award of The Most Impactful Leader; those offering the award, so too, became famous. Who’s using who here? This is the question Kikwete advisors and handlers were supposed to ask themselves before jumping into the band wagon. Again, what worries is the fact that all organizations that offered the award to Kikwete are Nigerian. Everybody knows Nigeria’s reputation as far as quackery and rip-off are concerned.  You sometimes ask yourself how Kikwete and his advisors were able to delude themselves after being hoodwinked. Can such Nigerians give their awards to impactful and iconic leaders such as Barack Obama? Thubutu!  They’d like to but they can’t dare. They know how CIA and FBI will zero into their simian biz and unearth the other side they don’t want to be known. One can aver that Kiquette is the Icon of Democracy in Africa without a gist of research. Is he really?

Let’s be realistic and face it. Is there any iconic and impactful African leader in anything after the late Nelson Mandela?  If there were icons, it is in pre-democratic era where icons like Mwl Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Gamal Nasser and others are mentioned. Currently, Africa’s power mongers, mongrels and monsters that rig elections and corrupt their countries. You can’t term such crossbreeds icons or anything near. How can a country police kill as pleased have an impactful leader in anything meaningful? How can a country budget depends on donors at the tune of over 40% have impactful leader or icon of democracy? How can a country renowned for condoning corruption have an icon of any sort? If this is the real situation then who is fooling who in this hanky panky?

In sum, what seems to be an award isn't. Had our security apparatuses done their homework well, it’d come to right that we’re celebrating a laughable stuff. Again, who’s to blame if we've offered ourselves to con men who sing the songs we want to hear? Is truly Kikwete the icon of democracy and impactful leader really if we face the reality on the ground?

Source: Guardian Aug., 9, 2014.