Uganda’s Presidential election has come and gone. It’s all done but may not be dusted yet. I am sure by now Donald Trump must have been envying his more ruthless Ugandan counterpart.
Immediately after the recent trumpian-inspired insurrection that took place in the United States, experts have immediately allayed their fears of how tyrants and repressive leaders around the world may attempt to make capital out of the quagmire that took place in Capitol.
Coincidentally, few weeks after the Capitol event, here comes an election in Uganda supervised by one of the longest serving presidents in the world – Yoweri Museveni, a rebel leader who became president since 1986.
Presumably, Yoweri is the first sit-tight leader that capitalised on Trump’s unmasking of the weaknesses of America’s democracy that were hitherto unknown.
Thanks to America’s strong institutions that proved to the world that no one in their country is above the law. Not even the President.
To me, this is not but a test of how strong America’s democratic institutions are. Whether they have passed or failed the test is left for you to judge. As for me, this proved the position of Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson where they argued in their book ‘Why Nations Fail’ that ‘strong institutions are the most important pillars of a nation’s prosperity’.
While in Uganda, where obviously their institutions seem to be weaker. Weaker in the sense that their loyalty is only to the President and not the country or the constitution. Every thing seemed possible and the president appears to be above the law.
Well, Trump has openly displayed his desire to perpetuate himself in power, even when he isn’t the democratically elected president. Isn’t that what his fellow tyrants and sit-tight leaders are doing in other part of the world? However, his case is now done and dusted, but unfortunately the consequences of his actions in the global democratic space may wobble for good number of years to come, and repressive and dangerous leaders would continue to make reference to it in their attempt to perpetuate themselves in power!
Ibrahim Kareto wrote from Maiduguri and can be reached via @centreforsusdev@gmail.com
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