Monday 11 April

The Ocampo Six and more on African leadership

Media and public interest in the Ocampo Six continues.  With their arrival in Nairobi today, what was advertised as a prayer rally for them, turned into a political rally of sorts.  There were possibly thousands of people gathered all in ‘support’ of the six.   Florence, my host mother, is appalled and embarrassed.  Like some of us, she cannot comprehend  their cry of ‘innocence’ even before the trial has began.  Even more baffling is the fact that while they cry ‘innocent’, there is no attempt to point fingers at anyone else who in their view should be held responsible.    Is that because people truly just want peace and want the matter of post election violence in Kenya to be forgotten?  Will the families of victims feel the same or do they want justice?  Or is this an ideal platform for some of the Ocampo Six to gain support for next year’s Presidential elections?  I find it hard to condone what seems to be sheer impunity and an inability on the part of leaders to show some respect, regardless of their innocence or otherwise, to victims of the post election violence.  A week later, I meet a Kenyan cameraman, who now works for South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), who is still traumatised by what he saw and filmed during the post election violence.  He has been unable to eat meat since, and now films sports stories only.

At the opposite end of the ‘inability to take responsibility’ scale, I have to point to Britain as a case in point, where leaders and most people in the public eye resign and leave others to clean up after them.  In some cases, an independent enquiry is launched.    

Elsewhere, ex President Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast has been arrested and is seen on camera wearing a vest only.  I find it humiliating.  His regime and his refusal to step down may have caused recent violence and bloodshed but is it really necessary to humiliate him on camera?   There is even more humiliation we are informed that the ex President has a swollen face as a result of being slapped by a soldier.  Again, I find the soldier’s action, and this piece of news, totally unnecessary.  

Regardless of my own personal opinions, is it likely that maybe our African leaders will take heed and abdicate with dignity when they have lost elections?  Is this also a lesson for them to put in place measures to ensure that when they, and their predecessors, leave office, they can do so knowing that their safety and security will be respected by their successor and the electorate?