Second term? On whose terms?

Zuma should act like a real President of a Nation, By Rudzani Floyd Musekwa


It was with great sadness that I learned of my President, His Majesterial the King Jacob Zuma's intentions of two terms, instead of the initial one term. "Wow," I thought. Zwelinzima Vavi, the one who only comes to prominence when civil servants go on strike, apparently told reporters that Zuma will go for two terms, apparently because they told him to.

What immediately came to my mind was argh, what's new there, like his fellow African leaders they just can't let go once they're there. Was he looking for some sort of pity when he initially said that he was going only for one term? Or was he making his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, look bad for wanting not one, not two, but three terms?

African leaders are infamous for clinging to power, but most sadly, for not learning from those who, like they, tried it only to be dictators. I won't use Mugabe as an example for space reasons here. We need new leaders, and new leaders who are not here to settle scores. When Zuma said that he was going to do only one term I thought wow, here is an old and wounded, but new generation of African leaders, someone the up and coming African leaders can look up to, but no, hell no, I was wrong, and basically back to square one.

My worst fears had been confirmed, again. I believe in African leadership, a lot actually. I am not one to think that African leaders are worse than their western counterparts. No. Politicians are politicians actually; one's not good because of where they were born or that sort of thing. You just have to look at what is currently happening in Britain to see that politicians are just that, politicians.

Aren't we in a recession because of what politicians, particularly in the west and supposedly civilized, have done? They fall in the same traps. Having said that, my gripe with my own African leaders is just their obsession with being there forever. Closer to home now, what exactly does Vavi mean when he says that "It is no longer on the table. He will run two full terms."?

What is that actually? Does it mean that Zuma will listen to every suggestion and act on it even when he had initially put his head on the block? Or was that a command? Is it up to Vavi and the others like him to choose what Zuma does? Does Zuma think for himself at all? Are we going to have a country run by Zuma or just a group of guys with him around?

I am starting to have more questions about Zuma than I can take answers here. When colonialism ended and more and more African countries became free it looks like African leaders then turned on their own to colonize. Our recent leaders have turned into cults, they enjoy to be worshipped by those closest to them, and those who are not are enemies that ought to be dealt with.

Recently we have seen what the so called War Veterans have been saying about the Western Cape Province, and all with Zuma there saying no word about the threats. Is this an example of what we're up for? Is Zuma mum because Cosatu is mum, or what's happening here? I am really starting to suspect that indeed Zuma might be paying the price of being supported when he was down. Zuma should start acting like a President of a nation; he is a President of about 50 mln people for goodness' sake.