People who want power at all costs always want it for their own sake.
One thing history had taught us, dictators are always a bad idea. Often they start with very good ideals before they morph into devils. The Russian experiment with communism is a stark reminder of blind faith in human beings.
Military coups are not cool. They were so common in the 1960s and 1970s. I still believe the reason Jomo never traveled back in the day had to do with frequent overthrow of the governments any time a president ventured out of the country. Ask Keane Nkrumah, Milton Obote, Yakubu Gowon, among others.
Military coups are still very fashionable in West Africa. Some people always insist there is no difference between colonisers, but I always count myself slightly luck to have lived in a historical epoch determined by the British.
Among, my daily fears, a military coup in Kenya thanks pretty low. But in some country, it is an existential reality.
Mali for instance. Coups are like P.E.
I don’t like military generals because they believe in absolute power. And absolute power is bad for a country. I have meet refugees and exiles from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and I always feel for them because they can’t go back to their countries and the freedom we take for granted here is available. Presidents routinely shut the internet, routinely detain those with opposing views, or make them disappear.
Military rule can set a country back so many decades. Military generals especially in Africa are the face of plunder. Because they are not accountable to anyone. And power without accountability is a toxic mixture.
Part of growing up is learning not to romanticise any form of dictatorship, benevolent or otherwise. You can still achieve a lot without being an arsehole.
So, with hindsight, we know had Ochuka succeeded in 1982, we will be worse of as a country. Thomas Sankara started well, but most of us have retained a healthy skepticism I to what he may have morphed into had lived ten years more. This does not mean that I belittle his achievements. No. I am not like those losers who belittle Mandela. I am just saying, there is little evidence to support that a dictator can be a good man for more than ten years.
And if you are going to mention Lee Kuan Yew, at least have some historical knowledge of the role America played in Korea and
By Silas Nyanchwani via FB
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
