02/01/2008
Several African commentators on last night's BBC Radio 4
World Tonight programme saw in the violent public response to Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki's theft of the election some cause for optimism.
With corruption in the electoral process so common in Africa, one noted that it had been just as prevalent in the recent elections in Nigeria, but the public reaction had been muted there. In Kenya, however, with the public and the opposition parties protesting volubly and openly, this was a good sign.
Much reliance, of course, has been placed on the
EU election observers who have been quick to complain that the polls were doctored and that the electoral process lacked "transparency".
As with
Pakistan, therefore, we have EU actors championing democracy for the people, against corrupt politicians. When it comes to the
EU constitution Lisbon treaty, however, it seems that EU politicians are quite prepared to
ignore the people and are going out of their way to
avoid a popular vote.
One of our forum members makes the obvious comparison, which is
hard to better. The only material difference between Kenya and the EU member states, it would seem, is that we are not rising up and slaughtering the ruling classes - yet.
COMMENT THREAD
Several African commentators on last night's BBC Radio 4 World Tonight programme saw in the violent public response to Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki's theft of the election some cause for optimism.