Bye Madiba, world is better because of you

-Editorial

Africa’s most iconic son has gone to be with God. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was simply the world’s most revered leader of our times.

The former South African President and anti-apartheid hero epitomised all that is good in leadership. He was widely regarded as a moral giant, devoid of vengefulness associated with most African leaders.

As many commentators would say, he brought great honour and respect to Africa as a continent, known for dictatorships and suppression of political freedom.

Jailed for 27 years by the South African apartheid regime, Mandela stood firm in his quest for equality of all races. He abhorred any form of domination, believing that whites and blacks should live harmoniously, accessing equal opportunities. In a continent known more for leaders obsessed with blind accumulation for wealth and power, President Mandela opted to do only one term from 1994 to 1999. As the first black South African president, he won admiration the world over, for facilitating reconciliation between former ruling white South Africans and the oppressed black South Africans.

Forming a government inclusive of his former tormentors, President Mandela harboured no prejudice against white South Africans.

He even referred to the last powerful white President Frederik de Klerk as his brother, sending a strong message of unity in a previously sharply divided nation. He spent most of his energy softening black Africans resentment against the whites and assuring the whites that his government would not engage in any revenge mission.

Indeed, during his inauguration as President, he invited his former white prison wardens to the ceremony. This demonstrated his rare gift of forgiveness and steadfast love for his nation long divided by the awkward racial segregation policies.

Indeed, once asked how he could share a table as President with his former tormentors he said: “Hating clouds the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate.”

For his troubles, Madiba as he was fondly known, became a global emblem of dignity and forbearance. He came out as one leader who had overcome racial passions that tore his country apart. Besides racial disharmony, President Mandela’s South Africa faced numerous challenges including widespread poverty and high HIV infection rates. His government was largely able to confront these challenges because of the sense of togetherness he instilled in all South Africans. 

He may not have succeeded fully to tackle all these challenges, when he left the presidency, but he laid a strong foundation to propel South Africa.

Besides winning the Rugby World Cup in 1995 with a team composed of white and black South African players, the economy has been growing steadily. The country also hosted the Fifa World Cup tournament in 2010, the very first on African soil.

There may be still many black South Africans feeling disenfranchised economically today, but President Mandela did instill hope in a people who had suffered for so long. And that is precisely what many African countries are crying out for in their leaders today.

Africa craves for selfless and visionary leaders able to internalise challenges facing their people and make hard decisions towards solutions.

Nearer home, Kenya is currently faced with nearly the same challenges. After this year’s closely contested presidential elections, Kenyans are sharply divided between Jubilee and CORD supporters. This is besides the “accept and move on” slogan mostly used to spite the losing CORD side.

The new “unity” drive around the Kenya at 50 celebrations should not be misconstrued to mean things are “back to normal” after the divisive March 4 vote. All Kenyan politicians have the huge task of reconciling Kenyans, besides helping address other challenges like unemployment, poverty and escalating item prices.

Still, the encroachment of media freedom and the seeming attack on the civil society by the Jubilee government goes against the very principles Freedom’s Father Nelson Mandela embodied.

Mandela is gone, but his commitment to true freedom will remain engraved on this continent. Fare thee well Madiba!