Evening Washington
Sunday, February 28, 2021
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business
No Result
View All Result
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business
No Result
View All Result
Evening Washington
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

End of line for Africa’s dictators?

admin by admin
November 22, 2017
in Africa
0
End of line for Africa’s dictators?
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RELATED POSTS

As Ethiopia’s army declares daily victories, its people are being plunged into violence

test post news for africa

While there may not be any direct connection between these two events, they suggest some intriguing comparisons. In both countries ruling families seem to have failed to secure themselves in power.When Mugabe, as leader of the Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), became ruler of Zimbabwe at independence in April 1980, José Eduardo dos Santos was already President of Angola. He had succeeded to that position after the death of Agostinho Neto in September 1979.Dos Santos had to deal with external intervention and over two decades of civil war, during which he ruled dictatorially. Mugabe, despite a facade of constitutionalism and regular elections, also became increasingly dictatorial. He abandoned adherence to the rule of law and his country's economy collapsed. Angola became notorious for the scale of the corruption linked especially to its oil riches. Zimbabwe went from bread-basket to basket-case. With the great majority of the people of both countries living in dire poverty, Dos Santos flew to Europe when he needed medical attention, while Mugabe went to Singapore.Though Dos Santos was probably as reluctant as Mugabe to give up power, he decided to quit as president of the country and try to retain influence through the ruling party and members of his family. Mugabe tried to impose his wife on his party as his chosen successor and then to cling on to his positions even when the army took effective control of his country.Given recent developments in Luanda and Harare, it would seem that neither of these two old men have succeeded in securing their family dynasties.

Dos Santos's succession plan

By 2016, suffering health problems that took him to Spain for treatment, Dos Santos announced that he would step down as president of Angola and he approved his Minister of Defence, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço as his successor.Following the victory of the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in the general election held in August this year, Lourenço took over as president in September. But Dos Santos remained president of the MPLA, and clearly expected Lourenço to look after his interests and that of his family, who had become enormously wealthy.From the action Lourenço has now taken against Dos Santos' billionaire daughter Isabel, it would seem that he's becoming his own man. It appears he wishes to distance himself from the Dos Santos family, which for many Angolans is associated with corruption on a vast scale.The London-educated Isabel has proved herself to be a very capable businesswoman, and though the Angolan economy has been suffering because of low oil-prices, on top of massive corruption, it's unlikely she was sacked to bring in a better chief executive to run the country's most important state owned company. There is talk in Luanda that Isabel's brother, José Filomeno dos Santos, will be relieved of his position as head of the country's large sovereign wealth fund and that his father, the former president of the country, will be replaced as president of the ruling party, though that may have to wait until a party congress is held.Angola's oil wealth has fueled corruption that has damaged the standing of the nation's ruling family.

Mugabe's succession plan

In Zimbabwe Mugabe has sought to arrange that his wife will succeed him. But Gucci Grace and Robert made the mistake of trying to ensure this by firing Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.Though at the time of writing, the 93-year-old Mugabe remains president both of the country and of the ruling Zanu-PF party (Update: Mugabe has now resigned), it's widely expected that he will soon be relieved of both positions, probably by Mnangagwa, with the assistance of the army.

Changes for the better?

New leadership in Angola and Zimbabwe will have an impact on the region as a whole.Given Mnangagwa's record as a long serving member of government in Zimbabwe, and his involvement in the mass killing of Ndebele in the early 1980s, it is hardly likely that he will emerge as a champion of democracy.In Angola, Lourenço is still finding his feet as head of government.It is therefore unrealistic to hope that either country will soon move from decades of repressive rule and lack of transparency to greater constitutionalism and closer adherence to the rule of law.But if we are witnessing the end of an era in which dictators stayed in power for decades and tried to secure their continuing influence through their families, and if we are seeing the diminishing importance of liberation movements turned political party, this must be good not only for Angola and Zimbabwe but for the southern African region as a whole.It should also hold lessons for those who rule in neighboring countries.

Copyright 2017 The Conversation. Some rights reserved.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Original Article

CNN

ShareTweetPin
admin

admin

Related Posts

As Ethiopia’s army declares daily victories, its people are being plunged into violence

As Ethiopia’s army declares daily victories, its people are being plunged into violence

by admin
November 24, 2020
0

Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed has promised military victory in Tigray. He says he will capture the capital, Mekelle, and...

test post news for africa

test post news for africa

by admin
November 7, 2020
0

test post news for africa The post test post news for africa first appeared on NewswireNow - A Press..

Tensions rise in Nigeria as some 2,000 inmates escape in attacks on prisons

by admin
October 21, 2020
0

Issued on: 20/10/2020 – 22:00Modified: 20/10/2020 – 22:01 Nigerian authorities said on Tuesday tha..

Lagos imposes 24-hour curfew as Nigeria anti-police protests worsen

by admin
October 21, 2020
0

Issued on: 20/10/2020 – 14:20 Authorities on Tuesday imposed a 24-hour curfew in Nigeria's ec..

African monitors say Guinea election conducted properly, opposition decries fraud

by admin
October 21, 2020
0

Issued on: 21/10/2020 – 04:42 African monitors said Tuesday that Guinea's weekend election wa..

Next Post
What it was like in Harare when Mugabe resigned

What it was like in Harare when Mugabe resigned

Zimbabwe awaits arrival of presumptive leader

Zimbabwe awaits arrival of presumptive leader

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sport

Mets retaining Luis Rojas as manager

Mets retaining Luis Rojas as manager

November 24, 2020
Nets no longer focused on James Harden trade pursuit

Nets no longer focused on James Harden trade pursuit

November 24, 2020
  • 21.8M Fans
  • 81 Followers
  • 103k Subscribers
  • 657 Followers
  • 22.9k Followers

MOST VIEWED

  • ‘Amphan’ may bring first flood of year in Assam: CWC

    ‘Amphan’ may bring first flood of year in Assam: CWC

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Where to buy Bitcoin in the UK and how does it work

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Playboy Model Marisa Papen Arrested For Dragging Cross In Front Of Vatican While Naked

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Russia Scores Gold In Women’s Figure Skating, Leaving USA Ladies Without Medals

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 24 Of Genie Bouchard’s Sexiest Shots Off The Court [SLIDESHOW]

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

CATEGORY

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Business
  • Europe
  • Fashion
  • Health
  • latest news
  • Sports
  • TECH
  • Uncategorized
  • USA News
  • World

SITE LINKS

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • Landing Page
  • All Features
  • Get JNews
  • Contact

© 2020 eveningwashington.com.

No Result
View All Result
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business

© 2020 eveningwashington.com.