Sunday, January 29, 2012

Senegal Contracts the African Disease

Abdoulaye WadeImage via Wikipedia
The president of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, was elected in 1999 in what was a free and fair vote.  He was reelected in 2007 shortly after which Parliament amended the constitution to limit terms to two.  He has now convinced the highest court to allow him to stand for a third term while simultaneously preventing the head of the opposition from being a candidate.  This is variation on a theme in Africa.  Those in power hate to give it up and will do anything to remain in their positions.  He happens also to be grooming his son to succeed him.

Senegal has now erupted in violence.  Another stable democracy (which happens to be Muslim) has become problematic in Africa.  Pity.
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