adminstart with, the regimes that have fallen, came about by overthrowing monarchical governments without firing any gun. Those were just coups with the military putting up their strongmen as leaders.
They took over palaces together with the riches they found and installed themselves as pseudo kings and aristocrats.
Now with the latest uprisings, the people are revolting against the army that had installed itself as rulers in place of the monarchical. But, what will the people replace the army rulers with?
This is the dangerous game being played in the Middle East and North Africa. The only organised groups are the Islamists who have won the elections in Tunisia.
The Islamists there have been quick to reassure people that they will not introduce Sharia Law which in fact is a religious edict. Many women are now afraid that the rights which were enshrined in the constitution will be taken away by the Islamists.
In Egypt, the game being played there is being orchestrated by the Muslim Brotherhood which is the largest organised group. The elections are just ten days away, but the Islamists want the army out of the way.
What is really happening is that the army will not allow going back to the situation where women rights would be taken away for religious purposes.
The same is going to happen in Libya.
The Islamists were not happy with the policies of Mummar Gaddafi where women were playing a major role in society.
Maybe, the only mistake Libya committed was to replace the monarchy with a military administration without putting in place institutions to serve the people, like parliament, local government institutions etc.
Yes no one was starving, there was free education and health. The people wanted the freedom to elect their representatives.
The scenario in the Middle East and North African countries is very different to that in Southern African countries which fought for the right to vote in their representatives and to be masters of their destiny.
Countries that bore arms to free themselves, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and South Africa to a lesser extent, all wanted to exercise majority rule.
In these countries, institutions have been set up through elections, such as local government in the districts, provinces and at the national level.
The drawback has been the lack of resources to build viable institutions. Governments need money and a thriving economy to sustain democracy.
It is a process not an achievement in days or months. Even if every cent was shared by every citizen that will not achieve economic sustenance of life. Some time ago Nelson Rockfeller was asked why he does not distribute his millions US dollars to Africa.
His reply was that it would amount to giving every African 50 US cents but if he gave tractors to African countries, they would be able to feed themselves.
That is the crucial policy that governments in Africa must adopt, that it is not cash handouts to the people that will ensure a democratic system of government, but the combined use of resources for the benefit of many.
If these resources being generated are squandered, like what happened in some countries where citizens are now in the streets, whether in western countries or the
middle east, the anger of the people will drown any talk of democracy.
It is not the voting philosophy that those in occupying movements are clamouring for, but the share of resources which, according to them, only one percent of the people are enjoying a good standard of living while 99 percent are in dire economic stress.
In Tunisia, one graduate burnt himself to death, sparking the revolution, after police took away his banana or vegetable cart, the means of his sustenance. This is why the policy of small-scale enterprises is noble. Let people themselves express themselves and fend for themselves to the best of their ability that is what democracy is all about.
While all eyes are looking forward to the budget, the whole thing is to see that what we raise in taxes is allocated fairly no matter how little it is.
This is the reason why we elect members of Parliament to oversee this allocation of our taxes knowing that the money may not be enough to meet all our expectations.
But what remains true is not what religion we belong to but what common vision we have for the development of our country. The way to realise that vision is what democracy is all about.
Online Reporter
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