DEMOCRACY - AN ALIEN LOST IN AFRICA'S TALKING DRUMS

A VOTER CASTING A BALLOT IN AN ELECTION
Picture Courtesy: www.un.org



On the 4th of March 2010,
Togo held presidential elections,
All votes had been cast,
Counting began in earnest,
When the counting was done,
Incumbent was declared winner.


The opposition was up in arms,
Made demands for the real election results
Alleging voting irregularities.
Opposition protests in the streets,
Police in riot gear deployed
Broke up protests
Setup barricades
Amidst cries of a constitutional right to protest.


EU observers said,
There was no vote tampering,
Had reservations about,
Lack of permanent ink in places,
Possibility of double voting by military personnel.


Fancy a blast from the past?
Togolese Presidential Elections in 2005
Post election violence reared its
Head in 2005 after an election in Togo,
Left more than 400 dead,
Sent thousands fleeing across the border into Ghana and Benin.


Disbelief at Chad voter figures,
African observer mission said,
Turnout was impressive,
Stood at 60%,
Most people were shocked,
Did 60% really turn up?
A journalist did remark,
Did we watch the same election?


Other sources,
Put turnout at 10%,
The Electoral Commission Chairman,
He put turnout figures at more than 70%,
Guess 60% + 10% will always equal 70% or more.


Opposition,
Boycotted the poll,
Said it would be rigged,
Saw it coming from far far away.
Refused to field candidates,
Civil rights groups all joined in the boycott.


African Observer team,
Came at the invitation of
Chad’s National Independent National Electoral Commission.
Observer team said, in our opinion,
The poll was free,
Fair and transparent.
Described voting as “brisk and enthusiastic”.


Casual observers said,
Turnout appeared low,
Only a handful trickled to stations.
By afternoon,
The capital had become a ghost town,
Streets, businesses and shops,
Completely deserted.
Opposition,
We believe even a 2% voter turnout
Figure would be quite generous.


The Aftermath of the 2007 Kenyan elections,
Lawlessness,
Walked the streets for days
In the company of misguided peasants
And ordinary people.


Death and destruction,
Chaos and mayhem
Painted Kenya
In different hues,
Left behind victims and deceased alike.


Sexual violence,
Carried out by gangs of thugs,
Security forces and neighbours.
A woman’s pride in tatters
Rags and forever shattered lives,
Suffering in silence,
Unplanned pregnancies and
A dark cloud of disease, the wretch, AIDS,
Hang ominously above the victim’s head.


Racial hatred,
Growing friction between ethnic groups,
Festering dynamics of inter-ethnic killings.
Mob,
Set fire to church,
Women and children found sanctuary inside,
Burnt alive on Holy ground,
An unholy act by ordinary men
Instigated by misguided leaders.


An African leader headed for a life presidency,
Central African Republic, a nation with an eternal ruler,
A controversial constitution amendment,
A man is handed an indefinite mandate.
Pro-government elements said,
This decision was necessary
To bury altercations over the electoral process,
Such altercations could lead to break down in law and order.


Electoral process,
Stalled for months,
Opposition,
Civil society
Face off with the government.


Reasons for the altercation,
Party accreditation,
Dubious electoral list and
Presidential mandate.


An African tune
Floats eerily through the air,
A continent subdued by a greedy few.
An alien struts the African stage,
Trying to find appropriate steps
To the sounds of the African talking drums.
A curious performance
Interspersed with missed steps,
And curious hand gestures
A picture contorted in confusion
And beautiful discomfort.
African Democracy, a comical rendition of a
Foreign tune.
Nothing more than
Props, gimmicks and stage managed performances
In fulfillment of the rules of a crooked charade.