AFRICAN ROUND UP

AFRICAN UNION
The African union seems to be in disarray and cannot put up a united front on almost any issue. To promote democracy and political stability, the union has put in place resolution to reject any government that comes to power by the barrel of the gun. But the chairman of the African Union, an autocrat who usurped power through a coup d’état is against this resolution and has voiced his displeasure saying that democracy is an alien concept to the African and should not imposed on African nations. The African Union is sending mixed messages to new coup makers. Whilst many African leaders condemned the junta in Guinea, others like Kaddafi and Senegal have fully embraced the regime.

What is more, when Robert Mugabe went to the African Union meeting, he received a standing ovation. Mugabe has been the scourge of his 10 million plus countrymen. As a result of the political crisis he has unleashed by brazenly overturning an election result that he lost, Zimbabwe has been plunged into the worst economic and political chaos since the founding of that country. Several thousands are starving and dying, and the entire economy is in complete paralysis. Nevertheless, many in the African Union, particularly South Africa, continue to support Mugabe. The African Union's failure to sing with one voice undermines and undoes everything it stands for and tries to do. And that disharmony is definitely making it impossible for the African Union to promote political stability and rein in on coup d’états, which for decades have been the bane of continental progress. Nation after nation was plunged into political chaos and economic mismanagement by military juntas.

SENEGAL
This nation for decades has been the beacon of political stability and democracy in a region often mired in political chaos and civil wars. It is therefore disconcerting that the highly respected octogenarian ruler, Abdoulaye Wade, has led Senegal into economy abyss and political chaos. On Mr. Wade's watch, corruption has thrived in Senegal and the economy is very weak, leading to political unrests. The man once the perennial opposition leader for over two decades and often arrested and brutalized by the incumbent government at that time is today harassing and arresting political opponents. And worse, he has sent a clear signal that he is trying to pass on the mantle of leadership to his son Karim Wade. No wonder his party got spanked in the just ended local elections.

SOUTH AFRICA
There has been global outrage at South Africa for the last several months --most notably for its soft treatment of Robert Mugabe in the face of the gross abuse and torture of his political opponents, plunging his country into a stage of political anarchy and economic calamity.

But the latest scorn and rebuke at the ex-apartheid nation is the result of its denial of visa for the Dalai Lama, following threats from South Africa's major trading partner, China. Even though the African National Congress vehemently denies any connection to China in its decision to refuse visa to the venerated Tibetan leader, it is conspicuous that fear of angering China and hurting its business interest with that Asian economic giant was the sole consideration.

It is extremely disappointing that a regime that for decades had to rely on from help the international community to topple the racist apartheid regime, would give fodder to autocrats to oppress their own people. The African National Congress should be the regime that should be most sympathetic to groups or leaders fighting oppression. So for the South African regime to be putting loyalty to Mugabe and business interests to China ahead of assisting victims of oppression is morally reprehensible and politically dumb. South Africa has invited the scorn and ire of nations that have supported them in the past and should be their friends. So pursuing this ill-advised and imprudent narrow self interest hurts South Africa politically. No wonder condemnation from the global media and political leaders has been swift and universal.

GHANA
Reports of unusually high incidents of child labor abuse should be worrying to the leadership of the country. The future of any nation rests on the development of its young generation. With so many documented cases of children out of school and performing economic activities for their parents, the nation risks losing its potential potent labor force. Law makers must ensure that the laws on the books against child labor abuse are enforced.

KENYA
Still is still reeling from the near civil war caused by election rigging by the incumbent government; the nation has suffered more setbacks on two fronts: Corruption is thriving under the unity government of Kibaki and Odinga, and is threatening to bring Kenya to near economic paralysis. And worse, Kenya is experiencing a drought that could lead to starvation. Kenya is on the brink and its leadership must rise to the challenge: first, the leadership reins in on corruption, and second, it must fully assess the food situation and call for donor help now than later, if need be.

NIGERIA
The huge drop in oil prices is hurting the super eagle nation's revenue. And worse, Nigeria's failure to rein in on political violence around the oil producing Nile Delta area is hurting the nation's oil production --Angola has overtaking Nigeria as the biggest oil producing nation in Africa. To compound the problem of shrunk revenue for the federal government, Nigerian banks have also been hit hard by the global financial collapse and have drastically curtailed lending. In effect, Nigeria risks sinking into a deep recession, given these outlined problems.