Page 5 - Nile Explorer Issue 006

Editorial Obituary

Central African Republic (CAR); the had modest or little positive results – it’s stymied the group’s rise for decades;
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). either a stalemate or truce, temporary however, this helped power its surge
In South Sudan, the formation of ceasefire between the combatants. to power, after he was deposed. To
Government of National Unity by 22 back Mubarak, USA pumped more
February 2020, in accord with the 2018 Amidst all the crises and uncertainties than $60 billion in mostly military
Revitalized Peace Agreement, is uncer- the year 2020 is a year of presidential, Presidential elections in Africa has aid over the decades for his policies,
tain in spite of the deepened diplomatic parliamentary and local council become almost synonymous with the consequence was resentment from
engagements towards the implementa- elections in several African countries. violence and displacement of people the Muslim masses.His major legacy
Kisemei Mutisya tion of the agreement. Mention of elections takes us to the as incumbent governments, with point is stability, in a country with
Managing Editor -The Nile Explorer memory lane of post-election conflicts. the support of foreign powers, have massive unemployment and economic
In the face of this uncertainty and the As these countries (Table 1) go to the only conducted shambolic elections hardship, for much of his period in
spate of security concerns, diplomatic polls in 2020, it may be asked: Is the year that invariably return them to power, Mubarak, who died end of February, office.
Africa still has standoff and tensions between Uganda going to be another year of post-elec- regardless of the wishes of majority in an Egyptian military hospital at Mubarak was born in 1928, the Muslim
challenges to and Rwanda persist, casting an ominous tions violence marked by unnecessary of the electorate. To be sure, in the 91, was a dictator. He declared a state Brotherhood was established. He
pursued a military later transferring to
overcome in 2020 counterpane over the Great Lakes loss of lives and wanton destruction of past few decades, countries like of emergency—immediately he took the Air Force, where he began climbing
power, following the assassination of
property? At the backdrop of this ques-
region, despite attempts to normalize
Botswana, Ghana and Mauritius have
S ince the dawn of independence relations and restore full diplomatic tion is a sense of anxiety and trepidation been exemplary. All things being President Anwar Sadat— that he would the ranks. His rise would likely have
stalled with the humiliation of the 1967
renew again and again. He purged the
relations between the two countries.
down the spines of peace loving citizens
equal, Ghana is expected to live up to
decades ago Africa has been peren-
nially crisis-ridden or, at best, perma- Political conflicts in the eastern DRC, and concerned observers. This should expectation in the coming presidential military of opponents and sent troops war against Israel, a defeat so ignoble
that it ended the careers of many Arab
nently in transition. Will the year 2020 Libya and Central African Republic still not be farfetched given the near zero and parliamentary elections. to put down an Islamist insurrection generals, instead, Mubarak ascended
be different? Two decades into the 21st rage on with devastating effects on probability that relevant electoral agen- Unfortunately, however, the polls in the south. And he quickly assured to the position of Air Force chief just
century there seems to be very little or human life and the society and economy cies can hardly guarantee substantially elsewhere on the continent present a Israel and the United States that he in time for the 1973 war, which Arabs
nothing to suggest that the year2020 at large. While some of the challenges free and fair elections on the African dire picture although it is expected that would honor the Camp David peace celebrate as a victory. (Arab armies
shall be any different from the years have received the attention of the continent, except in a few countries. these countries, particularly Tanzania, agreement, a 3-year-old accord that surprised Israel and inflicted heavy
past; notwithstanding some notable United Nations, African Union and would also prove to be credible had cost Egypt its leadership role in casualties but ultimately failed to
success. Evidently, the phenomenal regional agencies, their resolve has only candidates with a high probability to the Arab world. This left Egypt deeply capture territory.) Though Mubarak’s
isolated.
economic growth rates of several guarantee free and fair presidential The coming to power of Mubarak record in the war is disputed, Sadat
African countries, including Ghana, elections. marked the start of three decades of hailed him as a hero and eventually
Mozambique, Tanzania and Rwanda, in The pessimism around untainted free tyranny and corruption, in a revolution appointed him vice president. It was
the past decade or so, are not only and fair elections in Africa significantly in 2011,that dramatic ousted him. the eighth anniversary of the ’73 war
commendable but also indicative of the stems from an unsavoury trend: The Mubarak was removed from office, that the two men were marking at the
continent’s potential. However, at the rise of authoritarian regimes on the parade when Sadat was
backdrop of the successes are the conti- continent in the past few decades, assassinated. Mubarak
nent’s perennial demons which refuse to relegating respect for the rule of law and was 53 when he was
be exorcised, e.g., terrorism, immigra- human rights to the back burner. This sworn in, flanked by
tion and border closures, intra- and trend is somehow associated with the his half-British wife,
international conflicts, the rise of tectonic shift in geopolitics, specifically Suzanne, and his two
authoritarianism and/or decline of the rise of China and Russia, and the de sons, Alaa and Gamal.
democracy, corruption, poverty and facto emergence of a multipolar world Mubarak’s family drama
gross social inequalities within and amidst the decline of neoliberalism and contributed to the
among nations. the imminent collapse of the hegemonic convicted as an accomplice in the frustration of Egyptians. By 2000, there
dreams of USA and its NATO allies. In killing of protesters during the 18 days were signs that Gamal Mubarak was
Insecurity on the continent is particu- the face of these developments, which protests that changed Egypt. He was being groomed to inherit power from
larly telling. Acts of terrorism have Pepe Escobar has described as “The quickly prosecuted and given a life his father. People close to the family
intensified from the Horn of Africa Battle for the Ages” (between USA on sentence. His two sons were imprisoned said Hosni Mubarak initially dismissed
through the Sahel and the Lake Chad one hand, and Russia and China on the as well. the idea but that Suzanne kept pushing
Basin. Boko Haram is causing havoc other hand) authoritarian regimes in As President, Mubarak had a substantial Gamal forward.
across the northern Nigeria; the Al Africa have found solace in the bosom impact on Egyptians, but never
Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb and ISIS/- of USA and its NATO allies who, jolted improved their lives. He developed The idea angered many Egyptians and
Daesh conduct acts of terror across the by their withering hegemonic dreams, close ties with the United States, and also appeared to have incensed the
Sahel with impunity; armed and low find it strategically expedient to prop moving as far away as possible from military. When millions of Egyptians
took to the streets in 2011 to demand
intensity conflicts prevail in Libya, up kleptocratic and/or authoritarian the Soviet Union and toward a market
Table 1. Africa: 2020 Elections Timetable regimes. economy. He dealt firmly with the Mubarak’s ouster, the military refused

Adapted from https://www.eisa.org.za/calendar2020.php Muslim Brotherhood, a strategy that to intervene, sealing Mubarak’s fate.
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