After reading this article, I cannot help but ask who you think should lead
the coalition in the Gambia in 2006.
Ablie Njie-Lekbi
Atlanta
=============================================================A COALITION,
then a COLLISION
Coalition governments do not work in Africa and impede the democratic
progress of the continent by causing uncertainty in the political life of
countries where they are found. From East Africa to West Africa coalition
governments are fumbling or have foundered putting the future of their
countries in jeorpady.
The situation in Kenya is particularly instructive. The Kibaki-led
coalition, called by the funny appellation NARC, is in tatters, causing
general despondency in the country. The main partner, the Liberal Democratic
Party, led by the very popular and charismatic Raila Odinga, now has one
foot in and another one out of the government because it is dissatisfied by
the way Kibaki is implementing the pre-2002 election Memorandum of
Understanding, which allegedly spelt out how power was to be shared among
the coalition partners.
Now investors and donors are getting anxious about their relations with
Kenya due to the instability in the ruling coalition. Kibaki has lost faith
in his coalition partners; he has invited the same politicians of the ex-
ruling party, KANU, into his cabinet. Kenyans are asking what has changed
since December 2002. The corrupt politicians they so happily booted out of
office are now back in ministerial positions, only 19 months after losing
power.To be fair, without NARC, KANU would still be in power to the
detriment of Kenyans.
In Senegal, the coalition that kicked out Abdou Diouf from power in 2000 has
since unravelled; leaving the political scene highly acrimonious and
charged. In four years, President Wade has had four prime ministers,an apt
indication of the instability brought into government by the ill-conceived
coalition. Diouf’s ministers such as Seringe Diop are back in power in
Wade’s cabinet.
These and other examples show that coalitions in Africa are first and
foremost political marriages of convenience, devoid of any clear-cut
political programmes beyond winning power. In fact, what goes for
‘coalitions’ are nothing more than agglomerations of interest groups bound
by nothing but the desire to win power. They do not seem to have a vision
beyond getting into power.
This is highly unfair to African voters and inimical to the development of
democracy and economic growth on the continent. Africa needs stable,
functioning and effective governments that will be able to win investor
confidence and donor support, and, above all, win the trust and confidence
of the hoi polloi.
Coalitions built on the premise of regime change only will not solve
problems, they only compound them further.
© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company
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